Happy Thanksgiving!

Being Thanksgiving and all I feel it is mandatory to express what we are thankful for. Every single day I thank God for the gift of our three wonderful, beautiful and most importantly- HEALTHY children. We truly are blessed to have them in our lives and I pray we will have forever- or a very, very, very, very long time to enjoy our time here together. I can't imagine my life without them- or Al. Of course we are also thankful to be going through this journey and truly appreciate all of the support and friendship we have received from all of you. Thank you!

We wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving. Our day tomorrow will be spent painting the house and eating pizza for dinner but luckily we will get to enjoy a feast on Saturday at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Have a great Holiday!

Dr. Appointment

On Monday, we had another Dr. appointment which went really well. R brought her mom with to this one which was really nice to finally meet her. The good news is- the blood results came back from the BUN test and everything was perfect. The bad news is- I have already gained 5 pounds! It took a little while to find the heartbeat which made me a little panicky but I tried not to show my concern in front of R. But then finally, the beautiful sound of a strong heartbeat at 159. The Dr. said the baby is VERY active. I think I might have felt a couple movements yesterday but they were so light that it's hard to be sure yet.

On the home front, our house is in complete disarray. Our kitchen is no longer in existence as of Tuesday. The sink, cabinets, counter tops, dishwasher- ALL GONE. We do still have a stove but it's nearly impossible to cook without easily accessible dishes and space to prepare things. And then of course washing the dishes by hand in the sink in our powder room is just strange. Our lives are absolutely crazy right now and will be for the next few weeks. I just can't wait until the remodel is done. It is crazy to try to keep any normalcy in the kids lives when it looks like a tornado went through our first floor. I am sure the pregnancy hormones are not helping my patience (or lack there of) but I know this will be worth it in the end. This home addition has been in the works and in discussion for years but now that we are actually in the middle of it I wish timing could have been different. Our original plan was to be done with the addition by September or October and we initially were thinking of not transferring until the fall to start a surrogacy but then everything changed. It's ok though- we are managing. I just wish some days I could have a glass of wine while I am sitting in my plastic covered family room and looking at sawdust and drywall powder everywhere.

I am worried about how we will "fit in" Christmas this year too. The house may not be done by then and I don't even know if we can decorate for Christmas because things just might get in the way. I hope we can though for the kids sake. They are obviously getting excited about Santa coming soon.

I am still squeezing into regular clothes (a size bigger) but haven't made the switch to maternity yet. I think at this point I would look funny- like a chubby girl trying to look pregnant. My tummy still looks pregnant only at night right now. Hopefully I can make it another couple of weeks before I make the switch. I guess I need to tell my work the news before I show up in maternity clothes sometime soon. Maybe next week................

So that is the latest in our household and in my tummy. The next appointment we have is on Monday, 12/15 and will be the 19 week checkup and ultrasound. It will be great to see the baby again. R is definitely coming with- hopefully S can make it too.

FEED ME!!!

I am sitting here in my office after finally caving into my recent craving....... Jimmy Johns! I was starving and unfortunately, nothing at home ever sounds good to eat these days. All I want is food out which is going to break my pocket book! I don't know what it is but lunchtime food is hard for me. Nothing ever sounds good- except JIMMY JOHNS! So, I gave in- again- and right now I am enjoying my Beach Club and chips. That is actually one of the strange things- I can't stand regular Lays or Jays potato chips with this pregnancy, (even though I loved them beforehand) but for some reason the crunchy regular chips at Jimmy Johns are heaven to me. I can't get enough! I guess it could be worse- I could be craving McDonalds.

Visit at IP's House

We had a great time on Saturday at R & S's house. It was wonderful for our kids to see them again and to meet baby B. Unfortunately, Carson and Gavin were a bit wild but luckily they didn't break anything. :) Al and I had a great time talking with R & S and getting to know them even more. There is really no other word to describe this journey other than "Surreal". It seems like it is just a dream but then we all have to remind ourselves this is really, truly happening. What an amazing thing. R & S will definitely have their hands full in May with two babies, 9 months apart. Life will be hectic, but this is what they have always wanted. It is obvious they are getting very excited about completing their family in just a matter of months.

I am looking forward to our Dr. appointment on Monday to hear the heartbeat again. R's mom is planning on coming too so this will be our first time meeting. I have to bring Gavin and Morgan with on that appointment so hopefully all will go smoothly. I am sure the Dr. office is going to be shocked to see 3 adults and 3 kids all there together for one appointment. Hopefully we don't get any dirty looks!

Hopefully my babies will do ok today. We kept them up extra late last night and took them to the Ringling Brothers Circus. I feel guilty because it was a school night- but life is short and I am all about making memories for our children. Their faces were priceless during the show. I think I spent more time watching them then the acts! Let's just hope this day goes fast because I am sure I will be the one to struggle with the lack of sleep! 11pm was WAY PAST MY BEDTIME!

Second Trimester

Things have definitely been improving- thank goodness! I still don't really look pregnant during the day (just chubby), but at night I seriously have a protruding round tummy. It's so strange how much it can change from day to night. I have been embarrassed lately going to the gym because I am sure people are wondering how I am getting fatter from working out. Ha, ha! I guess they will soon figure it out when a real tummy shows up for good.

We are 14 weeks now- based on the baby's development, or 13+ weeks based on the doctor's calender so that means we are officially into the second trimester. Our next Dr. appointment is on Monday, 11/17. I am terrified to find out the weight gain at that appointment. DARN HALLOWEEN CANDY! Oh well, it will be a fun appointment.

For those of you wondering..... R & S will definitely be finding out the sex of the baby. It will be so different for us since we never found out the sex with all 3 kids. But, I am happy to know ahead of time with this baby. I think it will help identify more with the baby and be able to separate more in the end. Since I have finally made it through the first trimester- which was actually not much fun at all, I am looking forward to what is to come. I love being pregnant- hence one of the main reasons I am doing this- and can't wait to start enjoying all of the positive things that are about to start happening. Can you believe we are only a 2-3 weeks away before I can start feeling kicks???? Awesome!

Here is an update on the baby's development at 14 weeks.

The baby's body systems are starting to work on their own. The digestive system practices moving food along the intestines and through the renal system and he can create and eliminate urine. He/she also continues to practice breathing the amniotic fluid in and out of his lungs. The baby has tiny, soft nails on his fingers and toes, is growing hair and may even suck his thumb. The baby is approximately 10-11.5 cm (3 1/2 -4 inches) and weighs approximately 1.5 ounces.
Also, the baby's blood is beginning to form in the bone marrow and blood vessels are beginning to connect various parts of the fetus to another. The joints and muscles allow your baby full body movement so the baby is able to move around. The baby's neck is getting longer and his chin is no longer resting on his chest. The eyes and ears continue to move into place. The hands are becoming functional.

We are looking forward to going to R & S's house this Saturday for a visit. It will be the first time Al and the kids get to meet baby B. The boys are really looking forward to it and can't wait to meet their dog too. Morgan will love seeing the dog and the baby. Gavin already said he will leave "E" in the car to make sure the doggy doesn't chew him up. :)