Where I have family

I know that some states are better for surrogacy than others. California is one of those states. I do have family in various city's around Cali., mostly in the north. I also have family in Gold Beach and Portland, Oregon and Austin, Texas.

Charting

So I thought it might be a good idea to start charting my cycle so that I would have a good idea as to me myself and I. I have noted when I start, when I end, when I feel crampy mid way and all those good little details. I am more regular than I thought.

Living in

I had this though the other day. I used to be a live in nanny. If need be I would be willing to stay with the IP's during the end of pregnancy or the whole pregnancy if they wanted me to. That way they could be involved in the pregnancy as much as they wanted. My son would have to join me but it is an option. I could transfer to another college for the time there. Anyways just throwing it out there.

Personal Blog

I thought maybe I would start a blog that follows my more personal life on a daily basis so that any potential IP's can get an inside look at who I am. Some days I may write multiple entries, especially at the beginning, other days there may be no entry. As with this blog, I may seem random but that is how I write. Anyway without further delay here is the link to my new blog.

Personal Blog

Enjoy! LOL

Reduction and Termination

This is a very sensitive subject and many people have varied reactions and feeling towards it. I will not terminate unless there are significant health risks involved for either me or the baby. Most mental delays and minor defects are not considered significant in my book. I have worked with many special needs children over the years and they have all had wonderful fun filled lives. Depending on what was found, I would need to talk with the doctors and do research before any decision was made. But I will not terminate for gender, down syndrome, cleft lip/palate. There are other reasons out there but this is a general list. If my health is in jeopardy, than I will follow the recommendations of the doctors. If the babies health is at risk, again, I will follow doctors recommendations. By health I mean life or death. If I match with a couple wishing to do a GS journey, I will not transfer more than two embryos at a time. I feel that I could do well carrying twins, but the greater health risks involved with larger multiple births is to great for me. If one or both of those two embryos happen to split, then doctors, parents and I will sit down and talk about risks and possible reduction. If you have questions on this matter or would like an answer to when or what situations I would consider reduction/termination please feel free to email me. 

My Stats

Okay just so it is all in one place here are my stats:
Born July 28th, 1983 26 years old
Caucasian, light to medium skin
Brown Hair with a natural blond streak on the left side
Brown Eyes
5' 7"
216lbs With a BMI of 33 and falling(yeah I have dropped a point and 10lbs in 2 weeks!!)
Blood Type is O+
Easy vaginal delivery with my son
He was born on his due date at 40 weeks gestation
He has only ever had breastmilk, no formula
I donate my extra milk to preemie twins
I have a current background check

If I forgot something please let me know

Background Checks and Fingerprinting

I have received conformation that my background check returned clear and no faults were found. I can provide this documentation. I have been fingerprinted and cleared to work with children. I knew this but now I have the piece of paper to support me. When matched I would like to see background checks on my IP's.

Tallulah Rue

Some of you may have already read this story. I have been following it for awhile now. Truthfully it brings tears to my eyes. Both for how tiny she is but what a fighter she is and secondly for how much her daddies love her. Very rarely can true emotion be conveyed in words, but this blog is bursting with raw emotion. The pictures and the excitement can be felt. Be strong Tallulah Rue. My Thoughts and Prayers are with you. Before you know it Daddy and Papi will have you home and in their arms.

Tallulah Rue's Blog

Contacting me

Just realized that I do not have a way to contact me on this blog. At least I don't think I do. If you wish to know more about me or have questions please email me by clicking the link below. When writing please put "surrogacy" and "blog" somewhere in your title. Thanks!
Best Wishes
Lacie's Email

A little more about me(warning this could get long and rambling)

So. Lets see here. As I stated before I am adopted. I don't feel adopted, if adopted can have a feeling. My parents are my parents they are my world. My brother is my brother, even though he can be a severe pain in the butt. There may not be blood but there is a stronger bond, love. Growing up I was a tomboy. I was always the one chasing down the snakes and getting dirty. I love animals, I have always had a dog by my side. I also like to help animals and have bottle fed baby squirrels, a baby kitten and have nursed a baby swan back to health. I have raised ducks, geese and chickens. Buying the eggs and incubating them(in an incubator,not myself lol), turning them everyday until they hatched.I have had talking parrots and tiny finches. I have had a 6ft Iguana and a 2ft Bearded Dragon. I have had mice and hamsters. Needless to say, I've had a menagerie. Right now, I have my Min Pin.
I have gone fishing and Parasailing on Cape Cod, I have traveled the subways of NYC,I have gotten up at 3am to get my spot on Broadway to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade. I have walked the beaches of CA, OR and WA. I have gone on cattle drives. I have helped a dog deliver a litter of pups. I have gone back to school.
I love helping people. I have volunteered with special needs children. I have also volunteered with MAGDRL which stands for Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League. I have shipped care packages to the troops and I have provided hot meals to the homeless.
I am laid back. I like to live life as it is thrown at me, even if it is a wild ride. I would be perfectly happy even if I was living paycheck to paycheck as long as my family was taken care of and we are healthy. Money, though vital and I sure do enjoy spending it, is overrated. Big money can be big trouble.
I read, a lot. I feel that I am always learning and that there is always something to be learned. Sometimes it is just useless information, but I might use it someday. If I am going to be doing something new, I will be reading about it and getting as much information as possible. My mom got pretty annoyed with me while I was pregnant because of this.
Well there is more but it is almost 11pm, Gabriel is waking up for his night feeding and it is time for me to go to bed.
Best Wishes

GS vs TS

A Gestational Surrogate is someone who undergoes hormone therapy to regulate her cycle. She then goes through IVF and is implanted with fertilized eggs. Either the Im's or donor eggs are used and the IF's sperm or donor sperm is used.
A Traditional Surrogate is someone who uses her own eggs and either the IF's sperm or donor sperm to become pregnant.
Both options have there pros and cons.
I am willing to do either. The gift of life is so precious and being adopted has shown me how much love can be shown to a child. Being a mother myself, I cannot understand some of the feelings and emotions rushing through an IP's head. But, through my parents, I understand the heartbreak of longing for a child.

Show Me the Money(Not Literally)

It amazes me the amount of money that goes into having a child these days. From that first 10 bucks for the "most sophisticated piece of technology you'll ever pee on" to the final bill after delivery, thousands of dollars have been spent. Thats not even including all the baby essentials. Now what if you are unable to have a child of your own? Add agency fees, IVF, donor sperm and or eggs, medications, surrogate compensation, the list goes on and on, you are now looking at 60,000 or more. What if the new baby(s) have to stay in the NICU? Better add another 10-20,000. That is just insane. I am willing to work with a lower fee than most agency's and other surrogates.

Agency vs Indy

I am still deciding if I want to go with an agency or if I want to attempt going indy. I can see pros and cons to each side. With an agency I know that all my bases will be covered and that they will do a lot of the leg work for me. On the other hand an agency has many fees that the IP's are charged on top of comp., medical, IVF ect. Also many of the agency's I have looked at have BMI requirements that don't exactly jive with my own right now. I know that many RE's have their own BMI requirements and I can understand this which is why I am working to lose some weight. If I decide to go indy, I really need to do my homework and will have to set everything up myself. But it cuts out the middle man. I am able to do things how I want.

My Education

I graduated high school with a 3.75 grade point average. On my ACTs I had a combined score of 29 which means I was in the top 25% nationwide. I am currently enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program going first for my Associates then for my Bachelors. This last semester I maintained A's and B's in my classes. I consider myself very smart although I will admit sometimes I get bored and do not put enough effort into my studies.

Donating Breast Milk

While the topic may seem taboo to some, to others it is liquid gold. My son refuses a bottle but I still need to pump to maintain my supply. My son also has reflux so I have to watch what I eat and am on a low dairy diet. There are babies that can not tolerate even the most hypoallergenic of formulas. These babies needs mamas milk, sometimes milk from mommas that are on a very specific diet to eliminate allergens. There are a couple of different ways to donate. Milk banks which screen donors, pasteurize the milk and sell it by prescription for 2-5 dollars an ounce. Or, places like MilkShare (http://milkshare.forumotion.com/forum.htm), where recipients screen their own donors and pay to have the milk shipped to them or find a local donor to meet up with. I have gone through MilkShare. Once I donated over 200oz to IFs of twins via surrogacy. I packed all the milk up with dry ice and shipped it overnight to Washington state. It cost about $150 to ship it. Then my supply crashed from being sick. I still continue to donate what little extra I pump to a local mom with twins who also have reflux and do not tolerate formula. There are many reasons people choose breast milk. In my opinion "Breast is Best"