December 20th, 2007 - White Castle & TUMS

Well, had my weekly OB appt yesterday. Went to the MAC first (Maternal Assessment Center). Babies are doing great. 2 babies scored 10 and 1 scored 8. 8-10 is passing. The one baby scored 8 b/c he/she kept moving around so much that they were unable to monitor the heartbeat. Nevertheless, babies are doing great, no worries of them coming anyday...lol...Just my luck, right? No Christmas babies here! My IP was wondering if he should take his bags with him when he goes to his Mom's for the holidays...NAH...this pregnancy is so boring, that I highly doubt any excitement like that happening...will just meet up with him for the c-section Jan 17th! lol

OMG...so I gained 3 lbs since last weeks appt! WOW! But then when I thought about it...that is a total of 31 lbs and I'm just about 32 weeks! lol Ok...so no worries....and the babies are nice size. The OB dr came in and joked about how I've done well to keep these babies cozy for so long...that I need to share with other women with multiples so they carry longer too! I am so glad that the OB dr generally like triplets to be born 35-36 weeks b/c I'm not sure I could wait longer then that. My belly is getting so big, its scary! lol DH says that my belly actually makes my butt look small! ROFL (Thanks dear!) So that was my appointment...boring...nothing to really report other then I gained 3 lbs! lol

Next appt is Dec 26th. I think the appt after that one, I will have a complete u/s to measure the babies.

Stopped at White Castle on the way home from the dr yesterday. I knew that probably wasn't a good idea but you know...it was just something different! lol I think the babies got a good "kick" out of it! lol Glad that my hubby thought to finally buy me some TUMS. WOW what a relief. I've never taken anything for heartburn before but I tell you...I'm glad I have my TUMS now! lol

Picked up a new breastpump from www.milkmoms.com A great place to go for your breast/nursing needs!!! I have used this lady for my last 3 pregnancies. Its nice that she doesn't live too far either. She services all over the US btw. ANyways, I plan to pump for 1-3 months for the triplets. I hope that helps me loose the weight...I'm hopeful, but after nursing my own 4 children...I doubt it!!! lol

Well Christmas is approaching...nothing done yet...well the school bus driver and the kids' teachers all got some awesome gifts from Pampered Chef this year! lol I had to drive the kids to school on Tuesday b/c the gifts were so heavy! lol I got them the PC baking stones. Hey...I think they deserved them...my kids are doing so well in school...and I know that they are smart but I think the teachers play an important part in that too! :) Oh so I'm telling you that I drove them to school b/c I was totally surprised by how nice my kids can be... Our oldest son carried in our oldest daughter's gifts into the Middle School b/c they were so heavy and she had the most to give out. Well I waited and waited....turns out, he willingly walked to all her classes to help her give out her gifts! I was so surprised that he was nice to do that...well I know he is but he just surprises me...DH seems to think its b/c he wanted his Xbox 360 online! (lol, yeah, he's been irritating me so DH turned off the wireless so he couldn't get online, lol) Then the next stop was dropping our 1st grader off...and once again, our oldest son walked his little brother (the same little brother he tends to be mean to at times) to his classroom with his gifts and stayed with him until the teacher got there! WOW, right?! lol Then I dropped my oldest son off at the High School! WOW...what a morning! BTW I sort of miss driving my kids to school :( BUT thank goodness for the school bus....I'm saving soooo much this year on gas! lol

So like I said...Christmas is approaching...no shopping done for the family yet. DH and the kids will go to his parents on Sunday to celebrate. I will stay home b/c DH's family are chain smokers and so a very good reason to stay home...that and since my suburban is not working, we are short one seat in DH's truck. So that is ok...I will stay home. :) I guess DH will do the shopping this weekend! lol I will try to go with him if I feel up to it. Walking can be a challenge sometimes. lol Oh...I wonder what our chances will be to get a Wii this late in the holiday season??? lol

Well have a great day! Time to go back to bed and rest!
A Surrogate Mom

December 11th, 2007 - I've got a Date!!!

January 17th, 2008 I am supposed to arrive at Abbott Northwestern's Maternal Assessment Center at 6 a.m. for my scheduled c-section. I think the time is a bit obnoxious, if you asked me! BUT it was better then 11 a.m. lol

Had my OB ck today. All is well. The dr said that they like to deliver triplets between 35-36 weeks so if I was ready to make that appointment, then I could! So, its set!!! January 17th, 2008!!! and then I will be home by Sunday! :)

Before each of my weekly OB cks, I have to go to the MAC (Maternal Assessment Center in the hospital) for screening of the babies' activities, stress levels, monitoring their activity, fluids, etc. It makes for a long day. That appointment they schedule it for at least 2 hours...I barely made it for the hour it took today! lol

As it has been going...the MAC and OB appt were uneventful....other then that I gained 2 lbs and scheduled the C-section. :) I was exhausted by the time I got home and was so overtired, it took me the rest of the day to get comfortable and for my body to settle down.

I haven't really felt too much movement from the babies this evening...guess they are sleeping and now that I'm getting ready to go to bed...I bet they wake up! LOL

Next appointment is Dec 19th....so see you then!

Have a great week!
A Surrogate Mom

December 9th, 2007 - MADE THE 30 WEEK MARK!

Well, friends, I made it to 30 weeks and the babies are doing just great....they are kicking the crap out of me, making me terribly uncomfortable while they live it up good in my belly, and so on! LOL Funny...I've been on bedrest for a few weeks now but its funny I can't stay laying down for too long because I find I get "morning sickness," heartburn, or the feeling I'm going to pass out because one or more of the babies is cutting off my oxygen level! YES its funny! lol HEY, I still will do this again...be a surrogate if another family wants me to! (Just next time I think I will just carry twins...lol. Ok I think I'd do triplets if the family could afford the medical bills since surrogate insurance no longer covers triplets) Anyways...WOW 30 weeks...its been such a long journey for my IP, me and our families. It will be so nice when the day finally comes!

At my last appointment, the dr says that they are looking for me to get to at least 35-36 weeks, but no talk of exactly when they will deliver the babies. My due date is Feb 18th, 2008! (I really hope I don't have to wait that long! lol 36 weeks is fine!) YES, AUTOMATIC C-SECTION for the triplets. They just want the babies to grow as much as they can, so they are fully developed and strong. My appointments are weekly now and they are closely monitoring the babies' activities. So maybe in a few weeks we will know. Actually knowing will really help so I can make arrangements for the kids and stuff.

I do not know/remember what the IP is naming his babies. As far as pictures, I'm not sure I can even post them, unless the IP would like me to on my blog. I'm not much into pictures and plan to have MINIMAL contact with the IP or the babies after this is over. This is MY CHOICE so please do not ask me why, because its no one's business. In my contract, I have requested the yearly "Christmas picture" card just to see the babies as they grow up. My reason to be a surrogate was to give other families an opportunity to have children, as I was lucky to have. I enjoy being pregnant, despite the days of "what the heck was I thinking of" attitude, lol. And well I wanted to help a family and then move on with my life and them theirs. I do not need to receive praise or whatever for what I have done for the rest of my life. I'm just happy to have been able to help. Well who knows...maybe things will change after the birth of the babies, but that part is private and I hope you all can respect that.

Hard to believe that in 4-6 (ok NOT more then that I hope, lol) weeks, this will be over. 30 weeks was the goal and I am greatful that the babies and I have made it this far. PLUS I'm greatful that I have NOT gained a zillion pounds with this pregnancy. Don't get me wrong...I do eat plenty...I LOVE FOOD. Just the babies and I must burn up a lot of calories! lol

Well, next appointment on Tuesday. Will post again after that!
Have a great week!
A Surrogate Mom

December 5th, 2007 - You want me to WAIT HOW MANY MORE WEEKS???

Had my OB ck and another Level 2 Ultrasound done today. All is fine and boring. They say that if I get better at this bedrest thing, that I should make it to 36+ weeks! So much for the lovely thought of them coming early....like during Christmas break!!! lol

Babies are very active and I don't get much sleep. While I lay around all day and get my rest, its hard to do when the kids and hubby get home and on the weekends...so need to get them used to the idea that they are on their own now. :) Babies are (guestimate from what I remember) measuring 29 weeks 5 days (3 1/2 lbs), 28 weeks 4 days (almost 3 lbs), and 29 weeks 2 days (3 lbs). So all on target as I am 29 weeks, 3 days into this pregnancy. I haven't gained any weight since the last visit two weeks ago. :) Everything else is good. My blood pressure is good. The rash is still killing me. Need to get back to the skin specialist. The meds are costing close to $200 so that is a bit of an issue right now because the insurance sucks. I have to pay for the meds first and then get reimbursed. How stupid is that?! It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't too expensive...and this is just generic stuff too! Some of the rash is healing but of course, scarring. At least the scarring will fade....just sucks to look at.

Babies will be remeasured in 4 weeks. I now will have OB checks every week with going to the hospital for 2 hours before the OB appts to the MAC. The MAC is where they monitor the babies' stress levels, movements, etc. Something like that. Not sure exactly but I have to go every week before each appointment. Its a long walking distance so hopefully there will be aides around to give me a wheel chair ride to my OB appt. Walking these days is uncomfortable because they move all over and get into bad positions making it hard to walk. lol

Oh and I finally said yes to the flu shot. I wasn't too interested b/c I never get sick and I think its a waste b/c it doesn't totally protect you from all flus. Nevertheless, I had the flu shot today.

Today was the last day of Logos before the holidays. If I'm still preggo in January, will just have to get a sub for me. Since there is snow on the ground, I was able to make an illegal parking space close to the church! lol You know...when an irritating person parks at the end of the row when there are no real spots there?! That's what I did. lol The kids still have to go next Wed to church after school because they both are in the Christmas pageant. DH is now taking over my carpooling for me...although he takes the oldest kid so he can go in and get the kids. Hey, it works! Our oldest daughter just started volleyball and has practice 3 times a week now, so DH will have to do that now too. :)

Got a free lunch at Chipotle today. I go there every time after my OB appointments. So they seem to like me there and were amazed I had triplets. lol I was so tired and hungry that I didn't tell them I was a surrogate. So that was fun...minus the little touch of heartburn I felt later. lol

Thanks to my IP for the foam mattress topper...not really sure what they are called. It makes resting in bed so much better. It's wierd but comfy. Sort of takes a bit for it to adjust if you move your position though...that's probably the only thing I don't like...oh that and if you're laying to close to the edge, you can roll off the bed...lol...not too good! Its very good when my little one is sleeping somewhere else and I can sleep in the middle of the bed by myself. :)

Well that's all friends....another boring week. We shall see what happens next week!

Take care!
A Surrogate Mom

November 21st, 2007 - Bedrest Finally!!!

Well let's say Bed Rest doesn't mean its bad...just means I'm carrying triplets and I need some rest! :) Had my OB check up yesterday...babies are doing great, actively moving and kicking up a storm...but they are starting to wear me down, emotionally and physically. The stress of worrying about my little one during the day when I accidentally fall asleep and wake up not knowing where she is, the daily housework tires me out after 15 minutes, can't walk around the grocery store for too long because it feels like the babies are gonna fall out....my goodness, can't walk for too long PERIOD! lol I think most of it is that the babies don't cooperate with their positions and kicking exercises, so I am just miserably uncomfortable at time. I can't even sit for too long b/c it hurts my ribs. On top of that, I've been dealing with this terrible "pregnancy" rash on my legs which now I have on my tummy and arms. I think some of the tummy thing is the stretching of the skin as I get bigger! Nevertheless, its not fun and its gotten worse where it is painful. The OB sent me right over to a skin specialist after my appointment yesterday. I go back to the skin specialist next Tuesday. I feel better that I did that. Hopefully it will clear up soon...they think with the stress of the babies, my liver is not producing something (I forgot what they said) or over-producing something. Its no fun, but I'm not complaining (just telling you how it is, lol)...I'm still enjoying being pregnant with the triplets.

So to not put anymore added stress on my physically and mentally, it was time for bedrest, per the doctor. We don't want to cause the babies to come early. They want the babies to stay in there at least 36 weeks. (BTW...that's just over 8 weeks! wow!) So nothing bad about being on bedrest... I'm doing fine otherwise...good blood pressure...and gained another 2 lbs for a total of 25 lbs gained. Phew...not bad on the weight! I do eat a lot...all day...

I go back on Dec 5th for OB appt and Ultrasound to measure the babies. Then after that I will be seen weekly for OB checks, with screenings done at the hospital prior to each appointment. (I can just imagine how much my valet parking is going to cost during those visits! lol)

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving but its just another day for us. DH is working b/c he rather work then sit at home, plus he doesn't get holiday pay...nor do any of the other guys...so they all are going to work! Not making a turkey...I thought about it b/c I was wanting a turkey sandwich, lol, but no one but me likes turkey. The last few years we have just gone to Old Country Buffet. Probably not tomorrow b/c I don't feel like driving an hour to get there. The kids don't seem to mind. If DH gets home earlier enough, maybe we will catch dinner at the church. We shall see.

Well enough sitting...back to bed. The babies seem to have settled down so I might just be able to get a good rest in now. (Yeah, right? I bet they wake up and start kicking! lol)

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
A Surrogate Mom

November 12th, 2007 - Confessions of a Surrogate Mom

Confession 1:
For the past month, I have been eating a big mac extra value meal about every other day...that I can't believe in 4 weeks all I have gained is 6 lbs! ROFL

But I religiously take my prenatal vitamins and eat a ton of good healthy foods every day, all day. I just have had these cravings (almost every day, lol) for Big Mac meals! I always get small fries though b/c those aren't good but I need that SALT! (I don't ever salt my foods, so basically that's the only excessive salt intake that I get.) lol I can barely eat half a Big Mac, so its not like I'm eating the entire sandwich! I usually throw it away or one of the kids eats the rest. I also crave fountain pop...so a nice big Diet Coke to wash down the Big Mac and Fries works great. The good thing too is that it is NOT everyday b/c I dont always have $$$ everyday. lol My last Big Mac meal was Saturday.

Confession 2:
Yesterday hubby, the kids and I made the almost 2 hour trip to hubby's parents at 5:30 am because I needed the truck to go play bingo at noon! lol Hubby likes to lay on the guilt trip for when I do the day thing of Bingo at the Casino. Had a nice quick visit with grandma "monkey" (as the 3 yr old calls her) and grandpa and was back home by 11 am! I left the kids and hubby to go play Bingo all day...as I have been waiting over a month for this big day of Bingo! lol Our oldest daughter decided to clean the kitchen...I mean CLEAN...empty the dishwasher, fill it, wash the dishes that don't go in the dishwasher, cleaned the microwave! OMG yes, the microwave....swept up all the garbage (well you know...the twist ties from the bread that no one can ever throw away but leave on the counter until they get knocked on the ground), little kid toys, etc on the floor in the kitchen and under the table! Its nice to see my kitchen counters again! I don't even feel guilty for not being there to help. I did make a cake and two dozen cookies with my 3 year old today...I thought that would be nice for her cleaning! :) Oh...so I won during the matinee session of Bingo which paid for my bingo, some slot machine time afterwards and my dinner! lol Then the evening session was a blast...it was a $60 buy in where the games and specials pay out considerably higher then usual. I won on a game that paid out $1200...too bad so did someone else so I had to share that....better then not winning...so I won't complain.

Confession #3:
I lay around all day, in between playing with my 3 yr old, because I'm afraid if I'm too active the babies might come early. Well I'm at 26 weeks and not on bedrest, which the drs are happy with as they said to expect to be by 25 weeks!!! I guess if I had gone on with my normal routines, I would have been on bed rest by now.... :( I want my bed rest! lol Truth be told....my husband won't help out until I'm on bedrest...normally he does, so I can't complain but since he has to do everything when I'm on bedrest, he says he gets OFF TIME until that time! Well somehow I didn't play this whole poor me preggo with triplets right! lol Ok, on a serious note here...I'm glad that I can lay around as much as I do b/c being pregnant with triplets is very tiring...but an experience that I can live to tell. GOSH...how many women can say they have experience triplets without having to raise them??? lol

Confession #4:
I have my cell phone with me 24/7 so I can check my email and hope some day to get an I-phone or something where I can easily access my email and internet then on my simple phone. I LOVE to also read the news on my cell phone...I have CNN, ABC News, Newsday (a NY paper) and FoxNews bookmarked on my phone. Stinks when they don't update their sites enough during the day and I'm forced to read the international news!

Confession #5:
I am so glad that I don't have to push three babies out my butt but am an automatic candidate for a C-Section! They told me with twins that I would have to have then naturally!!! How scary is that but as these babies can come in 4 to 10 weeks, the thought of a c-section freaks me out. Think about it....they are going to cut my belly open and pull 3 alien creatures out of me! ROFL sorry was thinking of that movie Aliens where the hand reaches out of the stomach! BTW I wish they could knock me out for the c-section and it be over with when I wake up. lol

Confession #6:
I can't stand talking on the phone. Why can't everyone just have email or text messaging on their cell phones???

Confession #7:
My 3 yr old is not potty trained yet b/c I don't know how to do it. I'm waiting for her to get tired of her diapers. lol

Confession #8:
I just wrote this post because I'm really bored and napped out, but now its officially bed time...so I can go to bed! (That and I refuse to pay my husband's cable bill again...so nothing to watch b/c we get no tv signals in the country!)

Have a good night, friends!
A Surrogate Mom

November 10th, 2007 - Where the heck is the excitement???

Hi Everyone!

Well I had my OB appointment on Nov 8th! I didn't have to go to my appointment that was two weeks earlier, so that is why no update. BUT I plan to make sure I make it every two weeks b/c going four weeks can be stressful...just b/c its nice to be able to know that all three babies have heart beats. I wasn't too too worried b/c they sure do move around a bunch.

Babies are all doing well. On Nov 8th they were measuring 25 weeks, 4 days; 24 weeks 4 days, and 25 weeks and 2 days. All just weighing under 2 lbs each. I will be 26 weeks tomorrow and not even close to being on bedrest although I've been in bed most of the time! lol That's probably why I'm not on bedrest b/c I have been taking it easy! lol So no excitement going on here...knowing my luck I will be delivering at 40 weeks! ROFL NOT....Well at least to 34 or 36 weeks.

I am BIG. I have gained a total of 23 pounds. At the time of the appointment, one baby was upside down vertically and the other two were laying on top of each other horizontally!!! Guess that explains why the heck it hurts under my ribs when I sit. lol I need to get some good Body Butter or something for my belly. I have had 4 kids of my own and NO stretch marks...but these triplets are about to change it now! lol I can barely see it but I can feel the stretch marks on the bottom of my belly! :( Oh well.... lol My tummy hurts from time to time and I know its from the babies stretching it out! lol

I guess I'm lucky not to be on bed rest b/c some women with multiples are on bedrest as early as 20 weeks...and then on average at 25 weeks. Of course not me! lol I was sort of hoping to be on bedrest b/c it is hard to do housecleaning and to keep an eye on my little one who just turned 3 last month. I dont sleep well at night b/c I am constantly getting up at night so then I fall asleep when I'm with her during the day. A few little stressful moments when I can't find her. She likes to sleep in her toy box with a bunch of blankies and her dollies. Another time she fell asleep behind the couch when playing. My biggest fear is that she will unlock the front door and go outside...and well this is Minnesota...its cold here. If and when I go on bedrest, I will be able to put her in daycare and that expense will be covered. As I am approaching my third trimester, I do get housekeeping so that will help out tremendously. I need someone to get me caught up here and pick things up so we can see the floor. The poor cream carpeting is just ruined from the kids b/c I haven't been up enough to remind them to not take snacks and drinks out of the kitchen/dining room! urgh! I feel like I'm losing it and I really hate living in this messy house! Here's a funny... there was a bunch of food and stuff left over from the Annual Lutefisk dinner and my pastor wanted to bring some of it over b/c he knows we are a big family. I told him NO, I'd come up to the church and get it....it's bad enough God can see my messy house, but my Pastor sure isn't!!!! LOL

Speaking of Lutefisk...the annual Lutefisk dinner at our church was Nov 1st and I was happy that I was able to volunteer as I do every year. It was fun and the terrible smell of the Lutefisk actually smelled good to me and made me hungry! lol I actually had seconds this year! My oldest son volunteered more then willingly this year...seems like there is a gal he is interested in...and sure enough she was there with her mom for dinner! :) My oldest daughter would have been there helping but she was away on the annual 6th grade Long Lake trip. So I was happy my other son was going with me. The goal for the dinner was 1000...I think they served 980 some people...well those who had tickets! Maybe next year.

My oldest daughter turned 11 on Nov 8th. That was pretty exciting. She also completed her first quarter of Middle School with a 4.0...It was 4.2 to be exact! We are so proud of her, especially when we started her a year early for school (she missed the cut off by 2 months) and some teachers from the church stressed how she wouldn't ever be a leader and would struggle. We never pushed her to do more then she could but at the time she was reading more then a first grader and so eager to learn that we sent her to Kindergarten at age 4 years, 10 months. She is doing fine academically and socially. And we are very proud of her accomplishments. Our other two sons did very well too and we are proud of them. Our first grader is reading at a 2nd to 3rd grade level and even started doing AR books which aren't introduced until 2nd grade. He loves school and doing well. Our oldest son who is in 9th grade has B and above in all classes...I think he could do even better because he just does the Bs so he can play his xbox 360 during the week!!! lol

Well, I do have some sad news...not too bad...just sad. I haven't been able to keep up with my business at the flea market and so I lost all my inventory and the space...but had to pay the unpaid rent to avoid a lawsuit (lol). I've had the place for over 3 years and was making good income every weekend. Sadly its gone b/c I have not been able to be up there to watch my spaces nor good I afford to pay someone anymore b/c there was no income coming in. :( Who would have known that I was going to be so miserable with morning sickness. While I am fine now, I get very tired after a few hours, so being at the flea market from 9 am to 5 pm just wasn't an option, not to mention I can't do lifting. BUT I had to make the decision to give it up b/c it was making me poor paying the rent with no income.

In the meantime, I have rejoined BeautiControl and hope to make a go out of that where I might not have to go back to work...meaning going back to work for the State of MN. I really dread that but I think it might be something that I will have to do until I can get back to where I was and able to afford to stay home. I still have my regular customers for Pampered Chef and other little things I do but not enough to be supportive. I can't imagine doing PC full time, even though I've been with the company since the early 1990s! wow! lol I don't spend as much time at the computer as I used to but I plan to...b/c I'm not ready to totally give up on this work at home thing! So remember friends...SUPPORT YOUR WORK AT HOME MOMS!!!! please! lol

Well hubby is doing well. He's working for some guy in Isanti. Doesn't pay like construction work does but he's happy to have a job. His boss seems pretty nice too...so better to be happy, I suppose. Its nice that he works 5 min away...it really helps on our gas bill for the truck. I think the most we spend on gas is when I take a trip to Hinckley to play bingo! lol

Gosh I haven't been to bingo much. I miss it. I do plan to go tomorrow b/c there is a special buy-in and my favorite person, Kristy, is the caller and I am usually luckier when she is caller! Heck last month I went at the last minute to Bingo b/c they texted me that it was a must go $1000 coverall....and guess what??? I won the coverall in 51 numbers! I couldnt' believe it! At 30 numbers I had 4 left and waited and waited! wow...what luck! It was fun. BTW tomorrow's coverall special is a three-part worth $5000! Cross your fingers for me!!! I'd be so happy to win even part of it! :)

Well, sorry there isn't much to tell you about the triplets...other then they are growing, they have good heartbeats and kicking the crap out of me! lol BORING....that's why all the added fluff here about me and the family. lol Oh and my Bingo hobby! :)

So see you back here in two weeks after my next OB appt!
Have a great weekend!

A Surrogate Mom