No I don't speak Spanish, BUT, it sounds cool!
Let's get this party started!
My name is Alexis. I'm in my 2nd year of being 29 ;)
I'm married to Clinton, he is 33 (hahahaha).
We have 3 kids, D is 8 (boy), A is 4 (girl) and C is 2 (girl).
We have 3 dogs (we are totally insane)... Dora, Buster & Max.
I am a SAHM (stay at home mom) and have been so for about 8 yrs now.
I do work at my church 2 days a week for about 4hrs each in childcare. I.Love.My.Job.And.Co-Workers!
My husband was in the Navy for 5 years before he was medically discharged in 2009.
Clinton was born and raised in Tampa, FL and is the middle of 5 siblings.
I was born in St. Mary's, OH and grew up in Lima, OH until I was 14yrs old when we moved to FL. I am an only child (with the exception of step-siblings).
Now we live in Oklahoma. Hubby found a job here after he got out of the Navy and here we are.
Not too terribly fond of OK, weather stinks, not much to do. But I have a fabulous church and a really great friend so it all balances out.
I went through a tough first year here. I went through a bad bout of depression caused by being homesick and lonely (hubby travels for work and our closest family is in Ohio and we had no friends here). But now I am a-ok and am over it.
I have wanted to be an egg donor for years. I thought it was so cool that just a little piece of me could help someone have a family!
After talking about it for a couple years I took the plunge and applied with an agency. I was accepted, but the place was up in MN and I really can't travel back and forth with 3 kiddos. So I contacted a few local places.
Apparently I am not a candidate.
I have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrom).
BUT ... I have a pretty mild case of PCOS. I do not produce cysts on a regular basis (I *might* get 1 a year). I have regular periods. I ovuate on my own, but they are crappy eggs unless I'm on Metformin.
I have all the other fun side effects of PCOS as well, mild facial hair, acne, my hair falls out but yet its still thick, and I have insuline resistance (which is actually in what I guess you'd call "remission").
I was diagnosed with PCOS and Insuline Resistance in Feb 2006.
But first ... let me backtrack a bit.
My husband and I met in June 1999 at work.
We began dating in November 2000.
I got pregnant in Feb 2001 (yep, we were sinners). The baby passed at 6wks, but I didn't know it until I was 10wks along and had an ultrasound. I had to have a D&C 2 days later. We were not trying for that baby.
I got pregnant again in November 2001 with our son. We were not trying and I had no clue I was pregnant until I was 10 weeks along.
I had a perfect pregnancy with him. No complications, wasn't even tired, normal cravings, only gained 18lbs. He was born on his due date (voluntary induction) weighing in at a very healthy 8lbs 12oz.
I went on the Depo shot at my 6wk post partum checkup.
HUGE HUGE HUGE mistake.
I had no clue I had PCOS. Apparently PCOS and Depo clash in a big way.
We decided we wanted another baby around May 2003, so when I was due for my next injection of Depo in June, I just didn't get it and the baby making process was on like Donkey Kong!
Skip forward to March 2004 (we were finally married, hubby graduated bootcamp Dec 22, 2003 and we got married on the 27th). We were living in Great Lakes, IL (our first duty station). I mentioned to the dr that we had been trying to get pregnant for 9 months and nothing was happening. She just kinda rolled her eyes and let it go.
Skip forward to August 2004. We were back in Florida (Mayport, our 2nd duty station). Hubby was sent to VA for a 6mth school and I stayed in FL to just get used the area. Hubby was there long enough to move us in, but had to leave for VA like 5 days later. Well low and behold I got pregnant after 13mths of trying! I was 8 days late before I could finally get a + pregnancy test.
I went to the ER about 3 days after getting that "pregnant" on my test, with cramps. I get there, get bloodwork and the dr says my HCG is zero. Nill. Notta.
I began bleeding that night and even though that doctor put in my medical chart that I was not pregnant, I know I was. I was about 5wks along.
So after a couple years of waiting it out I finally got pissy with my doctor and demanded to see someone who could help.
I got referred to a gyno (thats how the military works, you see a regular dr for nearly everything unless you get a referral). He did an HSG on me, a semen analysis on hubby and everything was in working order. He put me on Clomid. I was on it for 5 months before he got sick of me bugging him every month and gave me a referral to a civilian Reproductive Endoctrinologist.
I saw the dr in Jan 2006 and he did a buttload of bloodwork on me. February he called me into his office to tell me I have PCOS. He wanted me to go on a 3 month break from trying to get pregnant, use birth control and lose some weight ( I was a heafty 202lbs standing at 5'6 ....sessssy!).
I was about 6 days into my cycle and thought "why not try just 1 more time before we take a break".
I started Metformin that day, ovulated 10 days later and 10 days after that I was staring at a positive pregnancy test in the Walmart auto section (long story. don't.judge.me.)
9 months later I gave birth to our daughter at 38wks/6dys gestation. No complications, no GD, and labor started on its own. She was a very healthy 8lbs 4oz. Daddy was not there for the birth :( He was literally pulling away from Belgium as I was in labor.
When Ms A was about 6mths old I wanted to get the last bit of baby weight off so I went back on my Metformin. I was breastfeeding, my periods had just come back and I though "pshhh, it took me 33mths to get pregnant with her, I don't need no stinkin' birth control!".
July 6, 2006 I was pregnant.
Everything was goingn fabulous, we saw the heartbeat at 6wks/1dy. I was not sick, I felt great.
One day at 7wks I gushed blood. Went to the ER. Was told the baby had no heartbeat.
Next day I went to my OB to varify the miscarriage and she looked at me said "uhh, there IS a heartbeat!".
RELEIF!
A week later I gushed blood again.
Thinking it was not a big deal I reluctantly made a dr appt for the next day.
Went in ... no heartbeat. Baby passed at 8wk/3dy. :( I opted for a D&C at 9w/6d.
The dr said the genetic testing came back fine. The baby looked great. It's a good possibility that the contracting of my uterus caused by my breastfeeding was just too much for the baby.
*sigh*
I had my D&C on Aug 22, 2007. Got my period back on Oct 1, 2007. Found out I was pregnant again on Nov 30, 2007.
*faint*
My dr put me as high risk for my first trimester just to monitor me with numerous ultrasounds.
Baby was a-ok. Born 3 days overdue with a very uncomplicated pregnancy, natural birth. 6lbs 9oz of pure love.
I breastfed that little booger for 18 months.
Clinton got a vasectomy in Nov 2008. Our baby making days are over.
I love being pregnant.
Call me crazy, but I do.
I want to give someone that gift.
I've felt the heartache of not being able to conceive, even though it was short in comparisson to others journeys.
It takes a massive toll on your mind, body, soul, faith, marriage, life, sanity.
I want to be a surrogate.
It's something I've been contemplating for a couple years.
In my mind, I would do ED once or twice and then try to talk hubby into letting me be a GS (gestational surrogate).
When I was told I cannot do ED I talked to hubby about GS further.
He is a-ok with it!
I am over the moon!
I was turned down via email from one agency due to my PCOS.
But I found a great message board (SMO) that gave me tons of info that said I am NOT out! Especially if its GS!
So I narrowed it down to 2 agencies.
Simple Surrogacy based out of TX (I emailed them with my info today as a matter of fact)
and
Earthy Angels, which I think is based out of CO. I was referred by a lady who did a TS (traditional surrogacy) through them this year and she did nothing but give good reviews.
So there it is.
My life story.
If you made it this far, I will give you a cookie.
I'm hoping 2011 brings great things. I am hoping the matching with IP's (intended parents) is short. I'm secretly hoping to be matched with a gay couple, but will work with whomever God knows I need to be with.
I haven't told my parents yet. I don't think they will react badly, but I know they will have a million questions and I'm just not down for a lengthy phone conversation just yet.
So if any IP's are reading this, a little about me....other than the novel I wrote above.
I graduated high school with a 3.something GPA.
I participated in several sports & activities in school.
I am a bookworm.
I love music.
I love tv & movies.
I have a vast knowledge of celebrity and pop culture that is not important.
I am an animal lover. You may see me on Animal Hoarders one day.
I love to laugh. I have a weird sense of humor that I got from my father (blame him)
I attended college long enough to be 6 credits short of my AA.
I aspire to be a LPN, Post Partum Doula, Lactation Consultant & Ultrasound Tech one day.
Pregnancy & Child Birth fascinate me to no end. I could literally watch episodes of "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" and "Baby Story" all day long.
I love road trips.
I love love love photography and have been working on it as a hobby for the past 3 years.
Being creative with crafts is another favorite of mine. I like making things for my kids (they can't judge me! hehe)
So anywho ... that's all for now.
I'm hoping to keep this blog going pretty frequently with updates throughout my journey!
Peace. Love. & Chicken Grease.
