27 weeks and a wonderful day!

Today was such a great day! Well, it started off super shitty (literally!) My dog got into garbage and proceeded to shit all over my carpet outside my bedroom door. It stank so bad and at 6:40am I had to clean up diarrhea at an ungodly hour. Ugh.
Anyhow..it got better thank goodness.

I parked my car at my parents place, and took the Skytrain downtown and went to the Tacofino truck. OMG....Tacofino is insanely good. A food truck in Tofino, that opened up in Vancouver as well. They actually have two trucks and it just so happens that the burrito truck is 2 blocks from where D catches the bus home from work. So, I met up with D after he was done work and we bused back to A and D's place where we hung out until A came home from work. Then we made our way to the ultrasound clinic to see baby Bunnyhop on a 3D ultrasound!!! It was such a great experience!!!

Bunnyhop was head down with her legs folded up in front of her face. After trying to get a good face shot, the tech got me to lay on that side for 5 minutes, to bug her a bit into getting into a different position...it worked. She turned around and moved head up and stretched out a bit so we could see her cute little face!!! Throughout the ultrasound, she sucked on her feet and legs, as well as her umbilical cord and licked the placenta lol We even saw her open an eye as she yawned!!! That is apparently a rare sight according to the tech. She was very very active...the tech held the wand in place and the image kept moving cause baby was moving all over. She moved back head down for a bit and moved into a vogue like position which was so cute. She has cute fat lips, and we could see her eyebrows, eyelashes and she has super long fingers.  It was a wonderful experience which makes me wish I had had that with my own kids.

After the ultrasound, we went for dinner at this awesome place called the Afghan Horsemen. It was insanely good. A friend of mine had posted something about it on Facebook a few weeks ago and I thought it sounded pretty cool and it turns out they have been around since the 70's and have won tonnes of awards for their food! So...we went and enjoyed a really tasty meal. It was so delicious and even A and D said it was a good call and they were going to go there again for sure. I even came home with some leftovers for lunch tomorrow!!

After dinner, we went back to their place and transferred the pics from the ultrasound to a USB so I could take them home! They are going to burn the DVD for me too which Im super stoked to show the kids cause its pretty darn cool!!!
For now...here are some pics of the ultrasound!!!

Profile

Yawning and her eye is open!!!

Really good profile shot...with her foot next to her head!

VOGUE! lol

25 weeks!

Thats right...only 15 weeks to go!!! Its very exciting!!! I got good video of baby girl moving around to send to her mom and dad and they seem to have liked it!! Apparently her cousin has named the baby Bunnyhop and while she thinks that this will be the babys name (which I think is so sweet), it has definitely stuck as a nickname. So, I call her Bunnyhop when I talk to her and tell her how much her mommy and daddy love her, and when I ask her to move for the camera and stuff (and times when I need her to calm the heck down lol she moves A LOT!!!)
A and D have recorded some stories so that I can play them for Bunnyhop on the Belly Buds. I love this idea as it lets baby hear her mommy and daddy when its usually several weeks before she gets to "hear" them in person. Theres only two recordings so far so I just put them on repeat (hope she doesnt get tired of them lol)...its about 10 min of pure mom and dad goodness!!! She moves lots when I play the buds so I think she likes to hear them talk to her...Im sure she can feel how much they love her....and I make sure to remind her all the time.

Every day I feel more and more blessed to be carrying this little one for such a great couple. People ask me how I will feel when I come home without a baby (Im sure all surros get this question all the time). Im sure there are days were Ill be a bit sad, missing the movements and stuff (I am human after all)...but I can honestly say, I cant wait to see this little girl where she belongs, in her mommys arms. I can only imagine the joy on A and D's faces when they see her for the first time...and get to touch and cuddle and kiss her. Ive looked forward to this for so long and I just feel so lucky and honored that I get to do this for them. Couldnt have asked for a more amazing journey.

Anyhow, here is some vid of baby Bunnyhop moving around!! Its a long video, but has lots of movement and shows just active she is every night.

25 weeks

24 weeks...only 16 weeks left!

Sorry I havent posted in forever...but no news is good news right?

Baby girl is doing well! She moves A LOT! Even the midwife at the last appointment said shes very active for this age. While using the doppler on me, she was kicking it so hard it was moving the doppler lol.
I put the belly buds on most nights and let the baby hear some stories told by her mommy and daddy and she likes that too.


Miles and I went on a little vacay to Tofino and stayed at a couples only inn right in a little cove. It was wonderful to be able to spend some time with each other and to not have to hear "Mommy" every 30 seconds. Dont get me wrong...I love my kids. But after 8 years of not having any time together, it was nice to have a break away from the everyday and enjoy some us time. We went bear watching and had the most amazing crab for dinner one night and some fresh smoked salmon jerky. Went for some great walks through rainforest and on the beach. Needless to say, we had a great time.
Here are some pics!

On a walk through the rainforest.

Miles and I on the beach

Didnt have an updated pic, but this is from 21
weeks...so 3 weeks ago! Im only a little bigger now.

Its a ???????

We had the gender determination ultrasound yesturday and baby was very cooperative!!! A and D are having a baby....thats right a cute little baby. A baby what??? A baby
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GIRL!!!!!!


Yay!!!! She (it feels so good to be able to say that and know for sure) was sitting in a good position...the tech had to kind a move and press pretty hard to really get a good view to be sure and at one point said "Im pretty sure I know, but I just want to be certain" and then finally said "Its a girl" and then grabbed another tech to be certain...who immediately was like "Oh, yah...no doubt, thats a girl!" A and D are very excited and can now come up with names!! We were all very excited and headed out for breakfast afterwards and when I got out of my car and looked over at A getting out of her car, she was almost skipping lol I said she looked like a kid at Disneyland lol I didnt get any pics...A is SUPPOSED to email them to me after she scans them AHEM A if you are reading this lol Nudge nudge!!!

Support....love my fam damily!

 So I thought it was high time I made mention of the support and love Ive been getting through this journey. I am very fortunate that I have not had any ....NONE whatsoever, negative comments made about being a surrogate. My mom apparently had one person say that it was a selfish thing to do...why dont the IP's just adopt with so many kids who need adopting. But thats it. And thankfully that comment wasnt made to me because I would have torn a strip off that person :)

Pretty much everyone in my life has known from before the transfer that I was doing this. But I was amazed when last night, I was at a wedding, and all my "aunts and uncles" came up to me and said they thought it was wonderful what I was doing. I didnt even know they all knew lol
I should back up here a bit and tell you about my family. I have an older brother whos been supportive of my journey. My mom has a brother and sister....her brother lives far far away and has a few kids, who I have never met (have them on FB though and try to get to know my cousins through that). My aunt has 5 kids and for the most part, were somewhat close....some times are better then others lol. But we keep in touch with each other and have grown up with each other.
Now my dad is the youngest of 6 and most have kids but not all. They are all older then me by a fair amount (some of my cousins could probably be my parent lol) And some of them have kids who have kids. Some are close, some are not. We all live in different places but when we get together (which isnt often) its like we just saw each other. I havent talked to many of them, but my parents have and Im sure they all know about this and the ones that I know know, have showed their support too.
This brings me to my chosen family. My dad has worked for a bakery for many many MANY years (like 40). And through working there, he met a wonderful Dutch, Catholic family, the Kouwenhovens. Grandma and Grandpa had 9 kids and they all have 2 or 3 kids each. I call this, my "chosen family". At a young age, I basically barged my way into the family lol. While we already spent lots of time with them and felt a part of this great family, I made sure I was a part of it and asked if I could call Grandma and Grandpa, Grandma and Grandpa! At my wedding, at least 5 tables, were just of Kouwenhovens lol. They out numbered mine and Miles family put together lol. Being a very Catholic family, their religious views greatly differ from my parents and mine, but we have never been made to feel anything other then welcome and loved into the family. Being a surrogate, I didnt really know how they would feel about it...considering the Catholic views on procreation. But yesturday at my cousins wedding, I was so happy when people came up and said they thought it was wonderful what Im doing....it means a lot to have their support.

So in saying all that. Thanks to everyone....my blood family, my chosen family and my friends....for your support in this journey. It means a lot that you are all behind me in this. You dont know how much it means to feel the love and support through this. Im sure there will be a time where I will really need it....and I know you will be there for me!

I would like to share some pics from the wedding!!!  It was held at the Fort Langley Historical Site. An actual fort. Very cool venue. I imagine their photos will be amazing!! Thanks Bear and Andrea for having us at your special day!!! It was truly beautiful!!!

The Beautiful bride Andrea and Groom Jeremy

Carriage ride.

Thats right...this is what I ate lol and it was local
organic and free range....and delicious!!!

Beautiful flowers

My parents and us

My little family.

Waited all night for Black Betty....reliving air guitar from my wedding lol
Cousins Leah and Jeanine and uncle Paul gettin down lol

Not all the cousins made it in...but this is a good bunch of them!

Bride and groom having a dance.

Place setting and favour....homemade jam.
Had some in our PB&J sandwich for lunch today! Delish!

Yes...thats right. There was a fire pit!!! And there was S'mores!

Well...ultrasound went well today...but unfortunately the MOA who booked the appointment, was a total tool. I specifically said that we wanted to find out the gender and so we had to make an appointment for 20 weeks and she said "Oh no, we can tell you at 19 weeks" so, thats what I booked for. Well, yah, they wont tell you before 20 weeks. So, after all that, we still do not know the gender of the baby. Its very dissapointing. Looks like we will schedule a 4D privately instead.

Babe is measuring right on dates, and everything looks great. Brain development, heart, everything was great.

Here are some pictures...I took pictures of the pics lol on my phone. So the quality is crappy. The first one looks like The Scream painting LOL.  Face shot with he/she yawning lol

Kinda front...babe is looking down but head on

Little foot!

Ultrasound on wednesday....

....any predictions on the gender?!?!?!? Im thinking girl.

Picture

Ok...so I was asked to post a picture (which I did in the post previous to the 18 week one I just posted). But wondering if something was up with it because no one commented on it. So I changed some settings and wholla....I get a couple of comments. So here is another pic. Taken 5 minutes ago. No one is awake in the house, so I threw the cam on the tripod lol

18 Weeks and counting!

Its amazing how fast things are going!! Im getting a nice bump (its crazy how fast your belly sticks out when you're on your 4th pregnancy!!!). Some days I just feel fat, other days I feel pregnant lol. I feel the baby move more and more and often try to remind him/her that he/she needs to stop kicking my bladder! Im really looking forward to being able to feel the baby move from the outside so that A and D can feel it themselves.  
We had our midwife appointment last week and heard the heartbeat again which I know A really enjoys hearing. After, we enjoyed a nice dinner out, the 4 of us...the first time Miles has been able to hang out with D since first meeting them way back in October!


So...this week the baby is approximately 5.5inches/ 14.2 centimetres long from crown to rump (about the size of a bell pepper) and she weighs about 7 ounces/ 190 grams. Her chest moves up and down to mimic breathing but she's not taking in air, only amniotic fluid. Around this time, the baby becomes more sensitive to the outside world and shows her presence through powerful kicks and prods. The bones through which sound is passed to the inner ear have hardened and the parts of the brain that receives and processes nerve signals from the ears are developing. This means that the baby can hear now. She will get used to familiar sounds, such as your heart beating, familiar voices, blood rushing through the umbilical cord and other daily routine sounds and will become startled if she hears a loud sound. The fingernails are formed, taste buds are present and the gender is evident!

So next week we have the "big" ultrasound!!! Very excited!!! They want to know the gender and thats super exciting!! I think its a girl and apparently so does everyone else....which then make A think it must be a boy lol.  Funny though, over the weekend, my mom, kids and I went to RenFest and mom saw a psychic who said somthing about "Maybe this will be a boy...or a very fierce girl!" So...we will see I guess on the 10th!!!

Still...nothing new lol

But its been weeks since I last posted so I thought it was time. 16 weeks now...CRAZY!! I am still feeling baby move, but just flutters still, and not all that often. I wish that I had more of an indication that Im pregnant, but apart from being tired and the round ligament pains (which sucks by the way), there is nothing to indicate Im pregnant so for the piece of mind, I with I could feel more lol But, at least Im feeling it and it is getting more and more by the day (a couple of times Ive felt a pretty good thump).

I had the most hilarious and weird dream the other night. Of all the weird happenings in the dream, I'll just take away from it, that perhaps it was telling me the gender of the baby lol. Ok, so I end up at the hospital (by myself by the way, and for who knows what reason) and end up having a c section (no one knew I was at the hospital). RIGHT after having the baby (and I mean, right after....the baby was still in the warmer in the delivery room) I was dressed and ready to drive my friend somewhere. So, I drive her to where shes going and quickly said that I had to get back to the hospital so I could be with the baby until the IPs got there, who by the way, didnt even know their baby was born. On the way back, Im walking past a coffee shop and see my IM outside and I stop and inform her that she had a baby girl and that I was headed back to the hospital, to which she replied "thats unfortunate" (and I dont think she meant its unfortunate shes a mom, but that she wasnt there) and asked me to call the IF (weird since I would have thought she would have wanted to tell him lol). Then says she will see me at the hospital. So I get back and see baby...and baby is asian LOL I should mention, my IPs are NOT asian and neither is their egg donor LOL. Yah...a f-d up dream thats for sure!

We have a midwife appointment coming up on the 25th and an ultrasound on Aug 8. Very excited because we are hoping to find out the sex of the baby.  Perhaps with it not being my husbands, I am pregnant with a boy lol Although, the weird dream says otherwise lol
I will be taking a picture of me sometime this week...I have a small bump now (which is bigger then it would otherwise be at this point, since I still have lots of chub from 3 pregnancies)..

Ok...I took the pic today lol here it is! (Sorry for the shadow around me)