Our life in BABY...

First of all, Thank you everyone for your prayers and encouragement for our Angel and our wonderful surrogate KT. It truly means so much to know friends and family from all over, are thinking of us. Both KT and our little one are doing well. KT had her procedure Monday and Gerry called Dr. Soni Monday night and before he could say anything, Dr. Soni said, "Hi Gerry how are you?" What a wonderful feeling it is to be recognized by his voice, as we have had the opportunity to get to know her during our visits to Mumbai. She said that the procedure went well and KT is resting for a few more days in the hospital to monitor for bleeding. Dr. Soni told her we were asking about her and thinking of her and sent lots of love. She said that made KT very happy that we were thinking of her. We thanked her for taking such good care of KT and she said, "I will take care of KT, you just take care of Hanna Montana (with a chuckle)." We had promised on our recent visit that we would bring some Hanna Montana items for her daughter like we always do for Dr. Yash's daughter. It truly broke the ice in a tense moment. We so love Dr. Soni! Our wonderful doctor's, Dr.Sudhir and Dr. Yash, even went by the hospital to check in on KT. Another added surprise, it appears we may be expecting a sheduled c-section now as 'baby' is big. We aren't surprised, as 'Daddy' is pretty big. We are SO confident that she is in the best of care and amazing hands of all our Doctors.

We are overwhelmed with baby! Baby names, baby clothes, baby furniture, baby registry, baby formula, baby diapers, baby books, baby, baby, baby!!! We can't get enough of BABY! It seems we eat, sleep, dream and live baby right now. Gerry had to laugh when the guys at the Fire House were all searching Craigslist on the internet, for deals on car parts, guns and motorcycles , ... and then him, searching baby stuff! Too funny! I am so proud of him, he has gotten some GREAT deals, on some next to new baby stuff, a car seat (my favorite), a baby bouncer, numerous cans of Similac formula...he is on a roll and saving us a ton of $$ on some awesome deals. I am so lucky to have him. So is our baby, he will be the greatest DAD. Our check off list of baby items is ticking down. So far we have:



DaVinci Kalani Convertible Crib in Espresso



Fisher-Price Rainforest Peek-A-Boo Leaves Musical Mobile





Peg Perego Aria stroller in green bubbles...LOVE IT!







Sorelle - Nicki Changing Table in Espresso (that is great for us taller people)





Similac powder formula




Peg Perego Primo Viaggo SIP 30/30 in green bubbles...LOVE IT TOO!




Eddie Bauer Infant travel bed (thanks Jay and Danielle)




Baby Trend Play Pen (thanks Jack and Wynne)




Eddie Bauer Sling and hip Carrier





Fisher-Price Rainforest bouncer





Aveeno baby care products (wash, lotion, sun screen, etc.)






Pampers Swaddlers diapers in regular and sensitive






A ton (no I am not kidding) of onesies in sizes NB to 9 months(my addiction)... We love Ross Stores!





Avent IQ 24 Electronic Steam Sterilizer (thanks E-bay)




Avent IQ baby bottle and food warmer

A bunch of Avent bottles (4oz and 9 oz)




Avent pacifiers




Blankets, bibs, hooded towels, caps, socks...





Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe infant wraps


A bunch of Rainforest stuffed animals



Books, books and more books (Gerry's addiction)




Diaper Dudes camo dragon diaper bag for Gerry and a Skip Hop City Chic Columbus circle diaper tote for me (love, love, love them)



Not my City Chic, just yet, but I got this as a back up and it is sooo cute!









...we are having a BLAST!!!

I suppose we are not alone with these 'all things, all baby' thoughts as most pending parents would be. We hoped and prayed we would be right where we are right now, but never imagined it would feel so absolutely incredible and be SO much fun.

We had supper the other night with some friends of Gerry's who are 10 weeks along. Gerry and I have had our names picked out for years now and just recently changed them (but its a secret). Funny enough when they told us their boy name it was our original pick for a baby boy name with the exact same spelling. We realized we all had A LOT more in common then we thought not just the obvious. We already knew Gerry and Cyndi are both Fire Fighters, and Chantelle and I are both nurses. We truly had a blast, they are awesome people and it will be so much fun to share our pregnancies together.

Only 11 more working days for me and I am all done with DON work (for now at least!!). YIPPEEEE! I am getting more and more excited as the days pass and the decrease in stress has allowed me to really start enjoying this pregnancy like I should have from day one. Gerry is waiting for some fantastic news, hopefully by the end of the week. So all is going good in the career department.

We are jumping ahead with leaps and bounds and weeks are passing faster then we thought. We are due in less then 4 months now and we know it will be here before we know it.

Your Baby at 23 weeks:

Your baby's got a while to go before her lungs will be ready for air and is practicing her "breathing" on the amniotic fluid—sucking it in and out of her lungs. Other highlights this week:

Fat production is in overdrive at this point. Your baby will basically double in weight over the next four weeks!

Your Mini is starting to look more like a newborn as her skin becomes less see-through. Her body is looking more proportional now, although her head is still kinda big compared to her cute little body.

Your baby is about 11½ inches long and weighs 1 pound, or about the length and weight of a Harry Potter book.

and it appears now that our due day has moved ahead again, so has our weeks...

Your Baby at 24 weeks:

Your baby isn't just sitting around doing nothing, he's working hard preparing for life outside the womb—perfecting his lungs and packing on the pounds. He'll gain ½ pound this week alone.

Other highlights this week:

Things are starting to get a little crowded inside the old womb as baby grows bigger and bigger. KT's ribs are probably pining away for the good old days when they didn't have a foot permanently lodged between them. Hate to break it to her, but it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Your baby's ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. He's getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of KT's heart beating, her lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of her stomach.

Baby's got a fully developed inner ear now. This means his sense of balance is working and he can tell whether he's hanging upside down or right side up. He can also feel KT moving, so go ahead, pop in your favorite tunes and boogie.

Your little Wiener schnitzel is about the length of a foot-long Chicago hot dog and weighs about 1 1/3 pounds.

Half a world away.

We got a bit of scary news this week, KT had some spotting and had to be admitted to Hiranandani Hospital for observation. She didn't have any further spotting after 8 hours from being admitted, WHEW! They did a scan and our baby is fine. KT's placenta is lying slightly low and causing some pressure on the uterus. As a precaution they are going to place a cervical stitch to ensure all is taken care of, and our Angel will stay in it's temporary home until the right time arrives. KT will stay in the hospital for the rest of the weekend and Dr. Soni will do the procedure on Monday and keep her for a few more days of observation. She then will head to the SI clinic for some further bed rest and observation. We spoke with both Dr. Yash and Dr. Soni via phone. Dr. Soni is so amazing, giving us every detail and ensuring us all was fine and she stated, "I didn't expect her so soon, but now that she is here, I will take great care of her." She will give us a complete update Monday night after the procedure of how things are going. Dr. Yashodhara called us Saturday evening to ensure that we had a chance to speak with Dr. Soni and asked if we were 'okay' with them doing this recommended procedure. We absolutely trust both Docs and know that they will do what is best for KT and our baby.

Dr. Sudhir updated KT's medical records with all her recent tests and scans on our personal itinerary site the Docs arrange for all their IP's. Everything is looking good and we are thrilled to be kept so well informed.

These are unfortunately some of the difficulties in doing surrogacy in India. We feel so lost and helpless and only wish we could be there to hold KT's hand and tell her we are with her. To just be able to see her and know that she is okay. To be able to touch her belly and feel our baby move and know it is okay. We know she is in good hands with Dr. Yashodhara and Dr. Soni, but it is still so hard to sit here and wonder if KT is scared, or hurting or sad.

We have been truly blessed with a very uneventful pregnancy up until now. So we can't complain what so ever. Its just hard feeling so helpless and worried for our angel and our wonderful KT.

We told both the Docs to send her our love and let her know we are thinking of her. We can only hope and pray that gives her some comfort and the next 17 weeks go smoothly. Our due date has moved ahead once again by 3 more days. We are now due Sept. 13th.

Please say an extra prayer for KT and our sweet Angel.

I have been chatting on the phone with some very special surrogate gals and I am learning of stories of courage, strength, hope and joy. What amazing woman these girls are. We are from different countries, but all have one common bond. Its so nice to be able to share our journeys.

My wonderful assistant Barb and dear friend Jo are planning a going away/ baby shower for me/us at work. It is the buzz of the facility and everyone is so excited...me included. Gerry will be away for some military training in Florida (our old stomping grounds) for a week, so they are waiting till he returns on the 6th of June (the day after I finish at work).

An update on 'teaching an old dog new tricks'...Frankie is using her doggie door like a pro finally. She had to learn that it was okay for her to come and go as she pleases without getting our approval. Standing by the door staring at us appeared to be getting old, so she decided it was okay, and now we know she is using it routinely. I came home from work and couldn't find her anywhere in the house, after a short panic I went out in the backyard to find her sniffing around. I was SO excited, first because she was okay and second, cause she used her door all on her own! Oh boy, do we need a kid or what????

We just can't get enough of our baby:

TRULY AMAZING...

Our long awaited ultrasound cd finally arrived from India today. Here is our beautiful angel smiling away. Guess they are enjoying their temporary home. Hopefully this is a good sign that we will have a happy baby! Either way he/she looks healthy and amazing. We can't wait to meet them.

Thanks to Dr. Yash and Dr. Sudhir for truly making our day...

Our 22 week 3D scan:

Opening up our hearts to tell our story.

Yep, our Chatelaine magazine article is out... its the featured story in the June issue (an 8 page spread). We were SO surprised! We both feel it was well written, considering most articles about surrogacy tend to be very negative. We especially like how it told 'our' story. Both Gerry and I have received a lot of positive feed back, mainly from

Publish Post

people who live in Canada who have seen the article. A bunch of people didn't even know about it and wrote saying the funniest things. My mother-in-law got the one and only copy of the magazine saved for her at the local pharmacy in her little town in New Germany, Nova Scotia. Here is a bit of what people are saying...

Looking at your article in Chatelaine. Our office gets the mag. Lovely photo of you two!

We just bought your Chatelaine! Its so cool. Very proud. :) It made my life a little...teehee!

Finally got the magazine today, hot off the presses. The author did a wonderful job of capturing your emotional journey, and your and Gerry's love for each other. Beautiful! September can't come soon enough.

I loved the Chatelaine article Rhonda! I realize how lucky my wife and I are, to have 4 healthy kids (and 2 miscarriages). Your commitment to becoming a family is heartening. I wish you all the best luck and hope you enjoy parenthood!

amazing article... i just read the whole thing and cried several times.. we love you guys and are so happy for you.

I was reading my Chatelaine magazine and was looking at the picture of a couple, thinking how in love they look and OMG it is you guys!!! I read your story, you have been through a lot.

I was surprised to see you in the copy of Chatelaine that arrived yesterday. I almost missed it, I was quickly flipping through and then looked a little more closely at the photos! I ended up reading the whole story out loud at the dinner table. We especially liked the happy ending!

I've asked family back in Canada to pick up a copy of this edition for us...so proud to say I "kinda" know you two!

We never imagined it would make such a statement. We hope it opens peoples eyes to the world of surrogacy in India as a possible answer to their longing for a child.

Thank you to our wonderful journalist Lisa for a job well done and to Lana for some great photos. Here is the link to the on-line version (minus some of the photos). Chatelaine article Let us know your thoughts...

CHANGES

Today was a good day. After much soul searching and discussion, I resigned from my current position as Director of Nursing. For the first time in 8 years I will be punching a time clock, wearing scrubs and just being responsible for me and my patients. No long days, constant stress, calls in the middle of night, responsible for everyone anymore!!!

I am SO excited to be taking a break from all of this and finally just be going to work, doing my job, coming home and being able to concentrating on just me, my husband, our puppy, and our upcoming family.

I have to give a 30 day notice, but it is nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel. My staff has been so incredibly supportive and all have said what a wonderful job I have done and how I will be greatly missed. That makes the last year so worth while.

I am getting my priorities in order and Gerry always says it best, "We work to live, not live to work." A job, is a job, is a job, and they come and go, but family is forever and you only get one shot to do it right. I'm going to do everything in my power to try and get it right my first go around.

Everyone keeps reminding me that this is my first official Mother's Day. WOW...I keep forgetting that I am a Mommy. Won't be much longer before it is a constant reminder. I can't wait!

I am amazed we are already at 22 weeks. We are still without pictures of our scan done while we were in Mumbai. Dr. S's computer crashed and so we are patiently waiting for our keepsake photos of our precious angel. Looks like so far you think its a boy...

Your Baby at 22 weeks:

Your Mini's hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in her fingers have developed her sense of touch. She's in there testing out her newfound abilities by touching her face and grabbing the umbilical cord.

Other cool developments:

You're already raising a little Einstein. Your baby's brain is developing at a clip this week and will continue to do so until she's five years old (so load up on the Omega 3)! Baby's hair is now a short, bright white crop (Billy Idol, eat your heart out!). No matter what color it will end up—red, blonde, black—all babies' hair lacks pigment at this point.

Your baby has started growing taste buds and may be able to detect strong flavors in the amniotic fluid. If you could see inside, you might catch her sticking out her tongue for a taste and then grimacing, a sign that perhaps you should chill on the chili powder. (or curry powder in KT's case)

Your baby now weighs almost a pound and measures almost 11 inches from her head to her heel, which is how the Stretch Armstrong in your uterus will be measured from here on out. Up 'til now your baby's legs were curled tight up against her torso, so she was measured from her head to her bottom (or crown to rump) and not head to toe. This week your mini is about as long as a package of Oreos and as heavy as a large bag of tortilla chips. Who's hungry?