Medical Screening, Meeting the Intended Parents, Surrogacy Progress

Sometimes the surrogate meets her IPs (Intended Parents) in person for the first time at the medical screening. That's how it was for me with couple #1 and couple #3. However, with couple #2, the IM (Intended Mom) flew to Utah to meet me before the medical screening, before we were even technically "matched". Same with couple #4, my current couple, except that the IM (Intended Mom aka "Amazing Grace" on my blog), IF (Intended Father) and their CLG (cute little girl) all came to Utah to meet me.

Let's flashback to that awesome day because sadly I have not blogged about that yet.

They came for a visit September 15, 2012. They arrived at our home around 11:00 AM for lunch and to hang out and get to know each other. My youngest daughter saw them pull up on the security camera. I looked out the peep hole on the door and saw my IM coming up the steps with a bouquet of beautifully bright colored flowers. It was such a beautiful sight it brought tears to my eyes. I was very touched and super excited.

I opened the door and blurted out, "You're taller than I expected." What a dork... just me being a little nervous I guess. She laughed, handed me the flowers and a card and said "Happy Birthday" and gave me a hug. My birthday was September 10th. It was super sweet of her to bring me something.

My husband and oldest daughter had gone out to put up signs for the IPs to follow. However, they got to our house just fine about 10 minutes after John and Tristan had left. After about 15 minutes, I called hubby to tell him they were there and to come back. It's the thought that counts, and IPs thought it was cool that they did that.

I was still working on the chicken enchiladas and I was a little bit shy. However, I soon felt like an old friend was hanging out with me. IM and I get along beautifully. (we already got to know each other pretty well through MANY e-mails and 2 phone calls)  She offered to help grate cheese. I didn't want her doing too much, since I invited them for lunch. However, I was grateful for her help. *No pun intended* LOL

We chatted and visited and ate lunch. IF was wonderful as well. He was easy to talk to and seemed to get along great with my husband. They talked and talked and talked. Both IPs have fun personalities. I think we all got along great. Their adorable little girl was cute and full of energy. She really liked my oldest daughter and followed her around and even held her hand now and then. Everyone thought lunch was yummy which made me feel great!

I gave Amazing Grace a copy of my book. (Once Upon a Surrogate: The Stork's Helpers) She read it and thought it was great. I showed her some other children's books about surrogacy and she genuinely said she liked mine best. She thought mine was a little more real-life and not just a cute little story. That meant a lot to me. She was very grateful for such a tool to help her share the story of surrogacy with her daughter when she is a little bit older.

We decided to head up to Snowbird (our local ski resort) and go to Oktoberfest. We hung out, checked out some booths, got a drink and shared a cookie and chocolate cake. There was some German dancing going on that we sat and watched. The cute little girl asked her dad to dance with her. It was the sweetest thing ever and he did dance with her.

IF paid for us all to go on the Alpine Slide. IM and I were slightly hesitant. It looked fun, but a bit scary. As we rode the ski lift up to the top I was having some anxiety. Part of the reason, was there was nothing holding us in and I was freaking out about the possibility of falling out, and also I was hoping the slide wasn't too extreme. IM and little cutie were in the lift in front of us. All of a sudden I see little cutie's adorable pink flip flop drop to the ground. Oh no!
We get to the top and it was pretty exciting. Once it was all over IM and I felt like we could have done better. I went super slow, being super cautious. I could have gone faster.

IP's anniversary was coming up and they stayed the night at Snowbird. The next day we got together for S'mores. It was nice to spend some more time together before they got on the plane and went back home. It was an awesome weekend. They told me to think it over (being their surrogate) and I said there is nothing to think over, you guys are great. (something like that) IM said I was pretty awesome too. (or something like that) Their cute little girl gave Tristan (oldest daughter) a few hugs and even gave her a kiss goodbye. She gave me a high five.

And now you're caught up which brings us to tomorrow. AGH! (that's happy, excited screaming) Tomorrow I get to hop on a plane and hang out with these lovely people. IM says we will have lunch by the beach. How cool! Then my medical screening is at 3:00. I get to drink a bunch of water and the fertility doctor will check out my uterus among other things. I believe there will probably be some blood drawn. Every time I've had my uterus checked for a surrogacy, I've been told I have a "lovely uterus". Sometimes beautiful, sometimes lovely, but pretty much all the same. I wonder what the doctor will say tomorrow. I also wonder what do you wear to an appoint where a stranger checks out your hoo-ha.

With each journey I have been with a different fertility doctor/clinic. I am excited to meet another Fertility Doctor.

Things are still going very well and I'm so excited for this next step (although I'm kind of nervous to be flying alone). Following the medical screening we need to do a psych eval and work on contracts, then we can set up the embryo transfer. I believe everything should continue to go smoothly and fairly quickly. I'm guesstimating an embryo transfer in December/January.

I've carried a baby girl and twin boys as a surrogate. I think it would be cool to carry boy/girl twins now. Who knows...



P.S. Last time I flew was in 2008 when I ended up getting pregnant with my surro-twins.