Despite the fact that I've been openly public about My Journey to Parenthood, I elected to keep the pregnancy test results confidential until the end of the 1st trimester...for obvious reasons! Thanks for understanding; I'm sure you can appreciate how difficult it was to keep such exciting news under wraps. I can't ever recall a greater state of euphoria in my life, and suspect this feeling won't be replicated until the day my "little peanut" is born.
Both Baby and Surrogate (Margarita) are doing great! Margartia is under full-time care in the Surrogate Home with nursing and nutritional support, and my little peanut is growing at a rapid pace. At 12 weeks, the baby now weighs approximately a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his/her systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his/her fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements necessary for eating, and his/her bone marrow is busy making white blood cells. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that will enable him/her to make babies of his/her own in a couple of decades. Imagine! That would make me a Grandpa! I better not get too far ahead of myself...there's still a long way to go to weeks 38-40 (estimated timing of the scheduled c-section)!!!
Despite having completed PGD (genetic testing) prior to the embryo transfer, I don't know the gender of the baby, and I'm still undecided if I'll elect to find out. Being an A-type personality, the planner in me would love to know, but seeing as I'm a kid at heart, I love the element of a surprise. Either way, I will be thrilled with the outcome, and will love this child with every fiber of my being!
On to more practical matters...I have rented my downtown Seattle condo and traded it in for a 3 bedroom home in Redmond, close to work on the Microsoft campus and a stone's throw from my best friend in Seattle, Lori Dennis (and her daughter, Mackenzie). Auntie Lori has been a great supporter of mine for many years and will continue to be there for me as my neighbor and BFF. Lori has offered to help whenever she can when the baby comes home, and if there's one important fact I've learned from the pregnancy/parenting books I've read, always accept help! As a single Mom, Lori has been a great role model, and an amazing parent, and I hope to follow in her footsteps.
December 19th I'm scheduled to venture to Panama City where I will meet with my doctors and attend Margarita's ultrasound on the 21st. It will be amazing to see and possibly feel my baby in utero and spend some time with Margarita. I plan to stay in Panama for 6 days to get my bearings and close on a place to live once the baby is born. I expect to be in Panama City for 3-4 weeks following the birth so I'll require a fully functioning home as opposed to a hotel. This time will allow the baby to grow and gain strength prior to the long journey home to Seattle, and will also provide the necessary time needed to process the birth certificate and passport with the Canadian Embassy. Since I am Canadian, the baby will be issued a Canadian passport and will be eligible to enter the United States under the terms of my current work visa (and pending Green Card application).
I will return to Panama in early March; most likely 2-3 days prior to the scheduled c-section. Until then, I wake up every morning with a great sense of excitement for the future, and the utmost thanks for the miracle created just 12 short weeks ago. If a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll treat you to a million below, all starting with "love"...
