16 weeks! WOW!

welll....
we are now a whole month into our second trimester! only 3 more to go and we will be in our third trimester! Isn't it going by so fast?!

I only took one picture so far today, but I'm getting there, I swear haha I took one laying down for you all, and i definitely see a bigger difference in my laying down ones than the ones I take standing... my muscles are apparently getting a bit loose in there, will have tow ork out a bit in between these pregnancies so that I don't hang out as much next time hahahaha

When people are asking me how I feel, all I can say is... big.  I'm not THAT big yet... but... I'm getting there and starting to feel EVERY SINGLE ounce haha

For 16 weeks, each baby is now 6 inches long [WOW!] and weighs 4.5 ounces already!  They are getting soo big now!  By 20 wweeks, they will have reached about 10 inches, which I also find CRAZY haha

Believe or not, both of those picture depict 16 weeks!  So much of a difference already!  The next one I have for twins is at 20 weeks, so... only 4 more weeks until I can post it hahahahaha

I had to go in yesterday to see my doctor.

Everything is okay of course, but he thinks they my hypERthyroidism has changed into hypOthyroidism, which would mean that from going overactive .. it would now be underworking lol  Pregnancy induced thyroid problems are a bit unpredictable, so it could go either way as it pleases, which as you can all imagine, is quite annoying.  One week I'm running to the bathroom thanks to everything being at a high speed [including digestion] and the next week, I'm backed up! LOL 

They checked my weight and fundal height real quick, we're at 113.5 lbs, which is good, we're now at a weight gain of 15.5 lbs about, and she measured me at 26cm! HOLY SMOKERONIES!  That would be about right for 26 weeks with a singleton!  Boys oh boys! haha 

I also had some questions asked to me on facebook, and thought they were really good, so I'll answer them here for you all! 

1. What got you into being a surrogate?

Most people just say "to help people".  Yes, that's the biggest part of this.  I do this because I have family members who had a very hard time conceiving on their own, and after watching them as I grew up struggle, I became to understand that infertility isn't just for those who were much older, or those who had cancer.  It effects a LOT of people.  The struggles and pain that those people go through... it's so.. touching.  I hope my IP's don't mine me saying this, but they have been trying to have a baby for 10 years!  10 stinking years!  That's 120 cycles!  Can you imagine every month praying and hoping for 120 months?!  I know people who have tried for 48 cycles.. and have just about given up... 120!!  Imagine how emotional and happy they were when all of a sidden, after one cycle... they were suddenly expecting a baby!  Imagine their joy of holding these babies for the first time... after 120 months!  THAT is why I do this. 

2. How far between babies will you get pregnant for someone again? Like will you wait 6 months, a year, etc...

There is a surrogacy requirement to wit 6 months in between pregnancies, it doesn't matter if it is a natural or csection birth.  I do have concerns for someone's health who doesn't wait 12 months in between pregnancies with a csection though.  I think that it's just not enough time to heal if you expect to be pregnant again.  I will wait 6 months minimum after any natural birth, and 9-12 months after a csection.  I will need at least that much time to get my cycles going, feel comfortable enough to be pregnant again, and have my family alright again to do this.  Surrogacy journeys aren't just about healing enough to be pregnant again, but it always takes a toll on the surro family... it's a lot of hard work to make a baby for someone else, especially if they don't live close enough to be there to experience it with you.

3. Do you get paid to do it? And if you don't but someone offered to pay would you accept if say it was the right person?

Yes, most people get paid well do to this.  Most first time surrogates ask for a base fee [just for them to be pregnant] of $15k to $18k.  Yep. that's right!  That is before any other expenses like medical, travel, clothes or even food.  I won't put what I'm doing this for, but, I can say that it doesn't even cover the pregnancy expenses, but it does come close.  I'm not making any money off of this surrogacy.  Next time I will be a little more generous to myself, but I won't be asking anywhere near what a second time surrogate asks, I won't even be asking anywhere close to what a first time surrogate asks... I do get hurt when people assume I'm in this for the money though, for those who didn't know this, I'm not getting paid for this, none of the money I am receiving comes to me, it is just gong toward pregnancy expenses like travel, medications, meals at the hospital when I'm there for appointments and a little bit of my food.  That's it!

4. Is it hard knowing you're having a baby and it's not yours to keep when you leave the hospital?

I honestly feel like if anyone DOES feel like this after the birth... they should not become a surrogate again until they have seeked out some kind of counselling.  I do not see these babies as my own, I have nothing prepared for them, I don't even think about their needs after birth beyond pumping for them.  I am known as the "Auntie" and I will hopefully be a part of their lives, but I am quite done with having chidlren for myself.  I think that it will feel good to know that I helped someone achieve parenthood without having to torture MYSELF with the routin of getting up all the time in the night etc.  As a TS, these are GENETICALLY my babies, in my heart, they are my nieces/nephews.  I think that I will feel relief, and joy when I get to leave without them haha Of course, I will be sad for awhile that I can't see them all the time, but as long as their parents keep in contact, keep me a part of their lives... then I couldn't be happier!  I'll feel like I dodged a bullet hahahaha  You know when you're late... and you're like omg... I better not be pregnant.. I do NOT want a baby...and then you take a test, it's negative, and then your period starts and you think OMFG THANK GOD?  Yeah.. that'll be me after the papers are signed LOLMy 10 month old JUST started to sleep through the night... and I can not do that over again haha  It may be hard to understand, but from the MOMENT I seen "PREGNANT" on that test, I automatically texted my IM and was like "YOU'RE PREGNANT! YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!".  I never even though, omg I'm pregnant!  It was always their pregnancy!

I love questions, so keep them coming so that I can add them to here, and I'm going to vlog these tonight as well!

I hope everyone is doing well, leave me lots of comments though! I love them!

-Cathleen

PPPOPPP!!!

I have definitely popped the last few days, so I wanted to share... I feel like I've just popped right out, and everyone is asking me when I'm due [hahahahhaahahahhahaha... six more months?]

Sorry again about the date stamp UGH

Just a quick drop in to show  you though haha

-Cathleen

And The Bump GROWS - heavy on pictures

As the weeks wear on, unlike any other pregnancy, I notice these huge changes in my body.  From week to week, I tend to look down, and realize that I've grown quite a bit since the beginning of this pregnancy, when all the proof we had of this pregnancy was a pregnancy test of 50 and an ultrasound picture.  As the weeks go by, the proof is in the tummy! 

I've of course come to love the bump that I call "huge", but as time wears on, and weeks pass us by, I may be less and less apt to speak of the "bump" in such a favourable tone haha

I wanted to share some pictures of other people that I've found on the internet when looking at what to expect with twins, and i'm always AMAZED haha

Yep, that could be ME lol

I just googled these, I didn't take from an online blog or anything, so I'm assuming I can't get in trouble for posting them lol 

I also wanted to post some of the tshirts I'm trying to save up for, I want them soo bad haha 

Sorry, on this site I can't save/copy the picture of the shirt, just show you the links grr

http://www.zazzle.ca/proud_surrogate_tshirt-235686233501493517

http://www.zazzle.ca/yes_im_pregnant_no_they_arent_mine_tshirt-235605784019203012

http://www.zazzle.ca/my_oven_her_buns_tshirt-235426998151463159 - not sure why men are modelling this one lol

http://www.zazzle.ca/thats_not_my_baby_tshirt-235036655815794552

this is a mug I want haha http://www.zazzle.ca/im_not_the_mom_im_just_the_stork_mug-168862875405469185

I said I was going to post these sooner, but they're just amazing, so I wanted to make one blog full of pictures lol Sorry if you're computer crashed! haha

Well, that's it for today I think, I'm getting anxious to order some of these actually, and I'm waiting for the money to buy some and then I have to pick my favorite one or two! 

Which ones are y our favorite?  I'm having a reallly hard tiem picking!

Thanks everyone for reading these silly things hehe

-Cathleen

15 WEEKS! WOOHOO!!

At the realization that I may actually be done half of this pregnancy, I came to a stop... holy cow... I could be half done already.  *shock follows*  And then I quickly looked down, and realized that... I'm not nearly done half growing haha

A lot of people ask me if I'm afraid to get attached.  The reality of surrogacy, is that, of course I'm going to get attached!  These babies are growing inside me, wiggling and breathing in my amniotic fluid.  I get people who say "Oh, I would fall in love with that baby too easily!" Of course as surrogates we love these babies, and we are proud to give them amazing parents!  I don't know a surrogate who doesn't love that child that they hand over... but it's a different kind of love.  When you are carrying your own baby, you think of baby names, you buy little clothing, you imagine the first car ride home, it's magical.  Surrogacy... is so much more than that.  We grow these tiny babies, for a family [I don't mean just a couple, that child will have grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins... it effects more than the parent... it effects their entire families!].  How wonderful is it to give birth, and be able to see those first moments with their parents?  It will be absolutely amazing.  I'm not sure if any of you have been in that delivery room with a friend or relative... but I've seen it... it's absolute magic.  It makes everything so worth it!

When speaking to other surrogates who have gone through the birthing process, they said to me "It wasn't like my own children, when the baby met their family... it's like that's where they belonged all along."  I know it's hard to understand, but with surrogacy, you don't do all the preparing, rushing around.  You get to enjoy the pregnancy for what it is - a pregnancy.  I loved being pregnant, loved birthing... but helllll no I'm not having more kids LOL

Anyway, here are my 15 weeks pictures, hope you all enjoy!

Well... we don't see the feetsies anymore unless I bend over to purposely see them lol  I can see them when I walk, every time I take the time to look down when I walk, I reintroduce myself... and then usually run into somethiing bahahaha

I have no fricken clue how to do those crazy picture slides on youtube yet, but I'm crazy about trying to get one together, if anyone could do it for me or something... you could easily compare me to a 60 year old... I'm surprised I figured the blog thing out... it took awhile to figure out the picture thing though... still working on making these things fancier for you all. 

Don't forget that if you want to know anything... just ask.  You won't know until you ask, if I don't have the answers for you... I'll find them, interview random people on the street for all I care. [Just kidding, but I probably would do that].

I don't know how many other surrogates actually follow me, but I have found in the last few days, that people are quite amazed by surrogacy. lol.  I went into the small corner store and the lady behind the counter asked me if I lost weight.  I said "Kind of, but I'm carrying twins everywhere, so that would wear me down a bit!" She thought I was kidding... seriously.  Then I showed her the belly.  She believed me.  Then I told her they weren't mine! I was just carrying them for someone else!  She laughed again, and honestly thought I was "pulling her leg".  She asked me the normal questions, about money, and heard you could make quite a bit.  I said the usual "Yeah, if you're in it for the money, you could make a small fortune."  I hate how everyone always jumps to the conclusion that I'm in it for the money.  Seriously folks, I only asked for my immediate pregnancy expenses to be paid for, honest to God.  You can ask my IP's... money is NOT what I'm in this for, and if you think I am, you got it alll twisted.

I also went out in a blizzard [walked] for snacks tonight and ran into an old acquaintance that I was pregnant with for my daughter.  We used to be super close in middle school, she was my next door neighbor, we lived out in the sticks.  Aaaanyway, she was at the gas station I walked to, and of course, she was also shocked, brought up the money thing. In the end she had me undo my coat, undo my sweater and she actually felt my belly lol  People REALLY don't believe me! Honest to goodness!  When I left, she probably STILL doubted it haha 

I don't publicize it much to be honest, and when I found out I was pregnant, I didn't call family or friends.  I called 2 friends... that's it lol  So even though I live in a verry small town... pretty much everyone is shocked, and there are stilll family members who haven't heard.  They aren't mine, and I think that it's for the parents to do all the spreading around. 

Anyway, it's like... past 2am, but we had a movie night and as usual, I got carried away haha

Thank you all for following, and I reeeeaaaalllly do appreciate it everyone.

Leave comments below, I love them haha

-Cathleen

YouTube Blog From Another Surrogate

So, I had a few people ask me for the links to the blog that I was talking about a few blogs ago, and after getting her permission to put this out there, I got the links for you guys, so here they are.

Her Youtube Channel's address is http://www.youtube.com/user/meredegaby And she has two blogs, the first one is clearly labelled "Surrogacy"

Her blogspot blog is also on here, and she is a follower of mine if you want to go see that way, but here is the link http://mydearbabybean.blogspot.com/

They are both amazing and touching blogs, and encourage everyone to go through them, the endings are always sooo emotional for me, no matter how many times I look them over, i cry everytime!

Today we are 14 weeks 6 days!  Almost half way!

Enjoy!

-Cathleen

14.5 Weeks

hey everyone, I had a picture taken yesterday [14.5 weeks] so I'll post it real quick :P  I'm starting to look more and more pregnant and less and less fat LOL

Sorry, I know it's dark... my living room doesn't have lights, so it's ALWAYS dark!  GRR!

Hope you enjoy, and will have a new update/blog in 2 more days [Saturday] for the update for 15 weeks! Holy hell.. 15 weeks! That's very nearly half way done!

-Cathleen

Day 3

Well, My kids and I are never sick... sometimes we feel under the weather, but never actually... sick.  Well, we're sick now! lol  Today is day three, last night was Night 3 of being sick for me and the kids, which means that no one got any sleep again last night!  When I say parenting is worth every struggle...  I forgot to mention that that only applies when they aren't SICK LOL 

My 9.5 month old is very close to have no voice left now, and I can barely hear him cry now.  Everyone needs a good old nap every day [not that it's easy to convince everyone to do so] and hopefully we will all get better soon!  Everyone is ordered extra naps... except mommy... since a mommy's job is never really done.  All of their sheets, clothes... everything need to be disinfected and washed to kill all the germs, but of course, that only helps after we're all better to prevent it from coming back!

DD is havinig a hard time sitting still, so that makes her cough worse.  Gabey is in fairly good spirits despite being sick, he's my trooper!  Lexi is... stubborn by nature, and apparently being sick only makes it worse.  I feel bad for putting her on time out when we're all so sick, but if you've ever had a toddler, letting them get away with it is even worse!  So, it's 945am, 2 time outs so far, and many threats of more, I honestly just don't have the energy or will power right now to keep picking her up... kicking and screaming... and put her in her room haha 

I can't wait for the Spring to be here!  Only a few months left, and by the end of April, the snow will start to melt and we can all go walking and enjoying the weather and hopefully start enjoying ourselves more! 

I don't know many people who ENJOY winter... but i'm a definite protester of winter and all the colds, coughs, aches, pains and falls that come with it!  I've been lucky so far this pregnancy, I haven't had any falls yet, but with my belly growing, it has become more and more difficult to get over the ice!  I was pregnant this time of year last year as well, just a lot further along at this point as I was due in May.  I was at the beginning of my third trimester last year at this time, so hopefully I'm not as big as I was in April and we'll all be okay! lol 

Sorry, I'm just rambling from being so tired, combined sleep for 3 nights is at about 6-8 hours, but it's really hard to say since there were countless runs to DD's room for water and tylenol, countless diaper changes and cuddling time and bottle with the baby.  Feels like I've been up for three days straight, but I definitely got a couple hours in per night!

I took a picture of myself to show that I really am staring to feel the effects of this surrogacy and being sick, picked a horrible time of year to be in the second trimester, but at least I don't have to worry about going into labor during a snow storm!  There are actually certain months I will not try to get pregnant just because here, we get a LOT of snow... and it's common to have 1-2 days a week where we can't get out of the house and driving it just unsafe, so I would hate to have IP's from a warmer place have to travel in this to get here during labor!  Imagine! haha

Okay, I'll stop! LOL

-Cathleen