28 weeks already :)

Well, in good news, we are having a very boring pregnancy!  Isabella is growing strong, I am gaining weight like an athlete on steroids, and everything is normal.  Isabella's parents came up on Friday for a 3D/4D ultrasound.  I didn't know what made an ultrasound 4D until the tech explained that 3D was seeing the baby with color and "regular" shape, and 4D was the movement.  So, her parents now have a video of her playing and pictures of her in color.  What we know about Isabella now:  She has a perfect button nose, beautiful lips, big eyes, all of her fingers, and some amount of hair on her head already.  What we already knew, but enjoyed watching:  She is a wiggle worm!  When the ultrasound began, she was head down and by the time it ended, she was transverse (sideways) with her head buried in my hip.  I had never seen a baby this big move around so quickly.  She stopped moving for a few minutes, but the constant prodding of the ultrasound detector kept her moving in protest. 

I enjoyed watching Isabella, but mostly I enjoyed watching her parents.  I loved to see their faces when they recognized a part of her, or when they discussed whose lips she has.  Everything that was cute and fascinating to me was miraculous to her parents.  The best part of being a surrogate is being able to watch pregnancy become real and tangible to a family that didn't think they would get to be part of this process. 

My Katie commented the other night that this pregnancy is going so much faster than the last one.  I feel the same way.  I, of course, just refer to my skinny ankles when asked how this pregnancy is going.  Last night, for the first time this pregnancy, I went to turn to check behind me as I pulled out of the driveway and I couldn't- the belly is finally in the way. 

I am enjoying this one little girl.  I am enjoying getting to know her personality and smile at the thought of her keeping her parents up all night long, since she is a night owl.  Jason has a habit of tapping on my belly, and she taps back.  It is as if they have a game together and he is helping her practice for future pat-a-cake games with her dad.  We are, after all, a surrogate family. 

My kids don't always love that I do this, but sometimes they say such awesome things, and I know that they see the goodness of their contribution to another family.  I talked to my boys for the first time last week about Emma, Isabella's big sister.  They are so wise in their innocence, and understand what a loss her parents feel, and how special it is that Isabella will always have big sister watching over her.  We are able to not only help give a child to a family, but at the same time we are able to gain understanding and appreciation for the many blessing that we have.

I am always so excited to reach the end of our journey so that my IPs will have their child in their arms.  But after my last journey, I know that the end is bittersweet.  Sweet in these parents holding a healthy, living child in their arms. Bitter in the end of such an amazing and beautiful experience.  I cannot even describe my joy at having such amazing IPs, both my last IPs and my current IPs.  I have friends who have never heard back on how their surro children are doing.  I am in contact with my surrotwins and their awesome family, and I have such involved IPs now, and it is truly a blessing to my family.
I have 12 more weeks scheduled with Isabella.  I am going to grow her as strong and healthy as I am able.  And when she decides to make her debut, I will be so content, so happy, and so appreciative of the amazing parents who will be by my side, ready to welcome her with open arms.