Crazy Doesn't Live Here

Tastefully Simple for a great cause!!!

2009-03-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

QUOTE: With Shannon's permission and Maria's blessing, I am hosting an online fundraiser will ALL proceeds going to little Hailey. You can order directly from the http://www.tastefullysimple.com/ website and it will be shipped directly to your house or you can send a gift if you like also. Once you choose the option of shopping online, you can select to add it to a hostess party order. The hostess is "For Hailey" in the first and last name boxes respectively. If you have never had anything from Tastefully Simple, no worries! They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee so if for any reason you are not satisfied, contact me and they will replace it with something at no cost to you. The Kent's will receive 28-36% of every order depending on what is ordered. If you have any questions, please let me know! I am excited for such an easy way to raise money for this wondeful family!

If you like Tastefully Simple or just want to support a great cause and get some fantastic goodies in the process please check this out - Becca from SMO is hosting this wonderful fundraiser. I have loved Tastefully Simple products for YEARS now (the beer bread, parm cheddar biscuits, almond pound cake, seasonings and more are SO yummy)! And Hailey Kent's story is one that has touched my heart and I have been supporting and following for quite some time. Here are the details on Hailey Kent:

This story has touched my heart, and I wanted to share it with everyone who may not have already heard...

http://thehaileykentbenefitfund.blogspot.com/
Hailey's Story

Rick and Maria Kent are the proud parents through Gestational Surrogacy of Ryan and Hailey, that turned 2 years old today. When Hailey was 15 weeks old she was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of Leukemia. She went through chemo, but relapsed while still on it and had an unrelated, mis-matched umbilical cord blood transplant in May 2007. She is home now on home isolation but is having issues with graft versus host disease (where your body and the donor cells try to reject each other). Lately it has been getting worse and is starting to affect her kidneys.The best chance for Hailey to be cured is for her parents to do another Surrogacy, and have a baby who will be a 100% match for Hailey. There is a new technology available where doctors can identify the matching embryos before they are implanted. One out of every four embryos will be a match. Hailey's doctors at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles said it's too early to talk about a second transplant, but chances of a relapse are high. If that happens, stem cells could be taken from the baby's preserved umbilical cord blood, and Hailey could get a transplant and a second chance. Rick and Maria are looking forward to welcoming another much loved child into their family as well as being able to save Hailey's life. Unfortunately, Maria and Rick are financially tapped out from the first Journey and from paying the medical bills for Hailey. There is no way they can afford to pay for another Surrogacy Journey. We estimate that $15,000.00 is the amount we should have to complete this journey to save Hailey. At this moment there is $1422.00 in the Hailey Kent Benefit Fund. We are still in need of donations. It doesn't matter if it's big or small, every little bit helps! We have to get moving on this. If Hailey has a relapse she won't have time to wait for a sibling to be born.

Info on how to donate to the Hailey Kent Benefit Fund:

To donate by check
Wells Fargo Bank
2740 Cochran St.
Simi Valley, CA 93065
The check can be made to either Maria Kent or Hailey Kent, and in the memo line please write: Hailey Kent Benefit Fund.

By Paypal
http://www.paypal.com/. The email address is: benefitfundforhailey@yahoo.com.

Thank you!

News Articles & Coverage
News coverage:
http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/sidebar_video.jsp?contentId=4890238&version=1&locale=EN-US

Newspaper article:
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/01/giving-birth-to-save-a-life/

Other Ways to Help
~Organize an event to raise money. (i.e.: bake sale, garage sale, car wash, walk-a-thon, etc.)

~Help in contacting anyone that has connections with pharmaceutical reps or companies, so we can get donated meds. We are going to need Follistim (or Gonal-F), Menopur (or Repronex or Bravelle), E2, progesterone, and Lupron for the surrogacy journey.

~Help in contacting anyone with media connections. The media is interested, but want to follow the journey as it progresses. That won't help get the word out that we need help raising funds NOW so we can get the journey started.
Every little bit helps!

WOW..I'm ashamed of myself

2009-03-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

Here I am at 31 weeks pregnant and I realized I've been a horrible blogger. I should truly be ashamed of myself. What's the point of having a blog if I don't blog?? Ok..I'm bending over now so I can be whipped!!!

31 weeks...9 (hopefully less) weeks to go. I can't believe it. I honestly never thought I would get this far. I thought for sure this pregnancy would end just as my last one did. I admit the first 24 weeks of pregnancy were filled with a lot of fear and nervousness. Ok, I still have fear and nervousness but that's because um..I'm going to have a baby, and while I've done it before, I kinda forgot how it feels and I'm thinking that a baby...a big ol baby....is going to come out of me. WOW..That is soooo scary to me. I feel like a new mom, one who has never given birth. I asked my Dr if I could have the epidural in the valet parking area...he has assured me that I will be numb from the chest down just as soon as I want to be. Apparently he didn't believe me when I said "in the valet parking area".

I promise to blog more over the next 6 weeks (yes..6 weeks is wishful thinking) about all the changes and developments that my body (and this little girl) are going through!!!

19 weeks and counting.

2008-12-20T07:26:00.000-08:00

Well we did it. We made it past the dreaded 17 weeks 5 days and 18 weeks 5 days and are cruising to 20 weeks.

There is still a part of me that can't believe we made it. I don't think I believed in my heart that I would get to this point in the pregnancy given what happened last time. Don't get me wrong...I'm thrilled beyond all reason to be heading in the right direction but I just never allowed myself to believe that we would get here.

On a brighter note, we had the BIG ultrasound on Wednesday. IM and her sister flew in to see the lil bean and it appears we are having a little girl. I was SURE it was a boy so I'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around pink. Oh well...pink or blue it's a huge blessing none the less!

17 weeks 1 day

2008-12-04T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yes...that's right, 17 weeks and 1 day pregnant. You may be asking yourself why the one day thing?? Can't she just say 17 weeks? Well I could but there is a reason for it. On May 17, 2007 I was 17 weeks and 5 days pregnant when my world was tossed upside down and my water broke causing a devastating loss of my IPs twins. A sweet little boy and girl who never had a chance. They had names and they had family who loved them but they never got to take a breath.

I'm now struggling with the next few days. Wondering if that cramp or that tummy ache is the start of hell again. Does it mean I'm facing another heartbreaking loss? Do I have to watch my IMs face crumble as she sees her dreams go up in smoke? Everyone tells me no, it won't happen this time. It just can't happen this time. I wish I had their confidence.

I do feel more calm this time around. Last time I know I made my friends crazy when I said something isn't right and I don't think this is ok. Little did I know the disaster I was facing. This time I don't feel that dread and doom. I do feel more positive and when I think of delivery I don't lose that thought to "I'll never make it that far". I suppose that is a very good thing.

Time will tell....

Week 15

2008-11-19T16:28:00.000-08:00

Nothing much to report but I promised myself that I would try to post once a week. More if there was something good or interesting to report(I live the life of a slug so interesting doesn't happen all that often) but at least once a week.

Two days until my OB appointment and I "think" I will be able to schedule the "BIG" ultrasound. My IM is flying in for that one so I've promised that I would let her know before I left the parking lot the date and time of said ultrasound appointment. Lets hope the OB is on the same page otherwise I fear my IM will have a meltdown!!!

Hugs and love to you all~

14 weeks

2008-11-12T19:13:00.000-08:00

I don't have much to really post but I feel as if I should...considering this is supposed to be a blog about my surro pregnancy right???

14 weeks...4 to go to hit that dreaded mark...I can't wait to pass it and move on. It will be such a huge weight off my shoulders I can't even tell you.

It appears that I am growing by leaps and bounds. I'd say the baby was but really who am I kidding. It's all me. Lil bean is all of 4 inches and well I've gained far more than that around my middle I'm sure. I know get "stuck" in the cushions of the sofa and god bless my husband who has the sense enough to pretend he doesn't see me trying to rock and roll my way out of them. My children don't seem to have that same sense. They think its all a big joke when mom can't get her shoes on or is stuck on her back like a wayward turtle in traffic. Someday they will learn...I hope.

We booked a trip to Disney World for June. I am so freaking excited about that. I simply cannot wait to be back there again. Sun, fun and my amazing family all there with me. My poor 18 year old daughter was told her cell phone stays home. I can't exactly describe her face when she realized we were serious but lets just say it resembled a plastic head melting in the sun...not pretty!!!

Week 20 is on December 24th. I think that is an amazing sign. Hopefully a very positive one for me.

Hugs and much love!!!

Sad today...

2008-11-03T11:32:00.000-08:00

So my friend Rachel was 19 weeks pregnant as a surrogate and her IPs decided to terminate the pregnancy. My heart breaks for Rachel AND that sweet little girl who never had a chance at life.

Hearing Rachel talk about her sadness and anger and the fact that emotions haven't hit yet brought back all my sadness of when I lost twins at 18 weeks. I wouldn't wish that on anyone and it makes me sad and heartbroken to know that someone I call a friend has to go through that horror.

As surrogates we set out to create life, regardless of our position on abortion, and when we are somehow involved in life ending it's so heartbreaking. I know I felt as if I was a huge failure and I know Rachel is hurting over the choices that were taken out of her hands.

I hope tomorrow is a better day for both of us.

Thought I would post a ultrasound pic

2008-10-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

Well I've been slacking so I thought I would "try" to be better and my thought was to post a U/S pic of the lil bean.

Today it was so very cute. I sent the picture to my IM and I was trying to explain via email where the head, arm and feet were. Funny how those of us "in the know" can see a baby and know exactly what we are looking at and others simply see a white blob...

Ahhh well...here you go!!!

12 weeks and counting...

2008-10-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

Well here it is...week 12. Doesn't feel much different than week 11 really but it puts my one week closer to week 18 which is my flash point. It's my count down to disaster. December 25th is week 20. That seems like it's a good thing, lets hope.

Lil bean is growing well and right on schedule. I had a Nuchal scan but it needs to be re-done because the "bean" refused to flip over no matter what we tried. Flipping from side to side, emptying my bladder, walking, re-filling my bladder. No ultrasound has ever been such a workout before. Needless to say, I'm not thrilled with having to repeat the scan but than again it's one more picture that I can send to my IM Julia.

Its officially winter in my house. I had to turn the heat on!!! It's a balmy 38 degrees as I type this. I can't wait for snow though. I love that amazing moment when it's snowing outside in the evening and you can hear the scraping of shovels and the roar of snowblowers as I'm all toasty warm inside. Truly one of the best sounds on earth!!

The kids are off of school for the rest of the week. I think I'll probably pull all my hair out by Monday. I love having them here but apparently I am supposed to be their entertainment for the next four days. Makes me laugh because when I want them to pay attention to me I can't seem to find them.

My Callie Pop (or Pop Tart as I tend to call her) as decided nursing school is not the path she wants to take and has instead opted for the amazing world of cosmetology. I'm not exactly sure where this idea came from as she never once expressed interest in it before but what's a mom to do?? All I can do is nod and smile and tell her I'll love her forever...right?? I'm not missing anything...I am 99% sure she didn't come with an owners manual and I've been winging it for the last 18 years...

I'm off to make blueberry pancakes for dinner as that's about all the energy I have. It's tough being sloth-like.

Oh I should be horse whipped

2008-10-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

Well I admit it...I am horrible at keeping up with my blogs. I've got to work on that for sure. Clearly there isn't anything so exciting going on in my little world that I need to share with everyone near and far.

I'm 10 weeks pregnant today. Meds have stopped and the lil bean seems to be doing well. I am of course a mess with worry though I do have more of a sense of calm about this journey. Perhaps my IM is sending me calming vibes. She seems to be a very calm and accepting person. Whatever will be will be and we all know I need that in my world.

Callie is dropping out of nursing school and going into cosmetology. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Ok I guess. As long as she's happy I suppose that's all that matters in the end. Her happiness. I do hope she finds it because college is expensive and the more ya go the more ya pay!!!!

18 years ago...

2008-07-12T07:31:00.001-07:00

18 years ago I, at the old old age of 17, gave birth to my amazing daughter. 18 years feels like 18 minutes.

Today she packed her things and moved out. I've been an emotional mess for the last few hours. I don't know what to do with myself. I walk into her room and it feels like I've lost her forever.

I know I raised a strong, independent woman who is searching to see who she can become and really that's all any parent truly wants but I had no idea it would hurt this bad. I had no idea that I would be crying almost nonstop at the thought of her not being here in the mornings...or evenings.

Parenting really never does get easier does it?

2008-07-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

Well here I am..who would have thought..me attempting to do the whole surrogate thing again...apparently some of my best friends in the whole world knew I would be here. As my Kym says "TRUST ME, GRASSHOPPER!!!"

I'm heading into that crazy abyss of cycling and medications and transfers. That will bring on HPTs, tears, mood swings and with any luck a sweet little baby or two at the end.

I admit I'm scared beyond all reason but I do believe that the fates that guide me (and a few pushy friends) are leading me down this path.

I think to where I was at this time last year and it wasn't a pretty place. I had just recently given birth to two sweet angels who had no chance at life. I had suffered a pretty crazy infection that seemingly came out of nowhere and I was a mess...emotionally and physically. Here I am a year later looking to the future, to a future filled with heartburn and a big round belly.

Thank you to my two special friends who held my hand through all of my madness and will continue to be there for me!! I love you!!!