Our New Journey: Surrogacy Part 6: My 1st week in Cali and Maternity Pictures

One month ago I left for California prepared to give birth to my Surro baby. 

 The day before that my OBGYN checked me, and said that even though I was only 35 weeks I was already dilated to a 2 and starting to efface. I needed to leave ASAP, or she wouldn't let me fly.

We already had plans for me and the kids to leave the next weekend and Mike to meet us there the 1st of June, but couldn't risk me waiting. 

So our AMAZING family stepped it, and made it possible for me to leave a week earlier!

Once in California I was papered and just relaxed hoping taking it slow would stop progression until Mike could get to there too. I seriously couldn't imagine not having him by my side for this!

 I made myself at home at the lovely guest home my IP's had all set up for us!

I really am going to miss the view!

I got a massage. mani/pedis, my hair colored, drank my weight in pink tea, and got introduced to lots of yummy food.

My intended parents did a wonderful job of taking care of me, and keeping my mind off of the fact that I missed my babies! 

And Mike did an amazing job of keeping me connected to what was going on at home with lots of pictures and Facetime!

One of the days there my intended mother asked me to do maternity pictures. 

My #1 wish for this whole thing was for it to be as special for her as possible, so of course I said yes!

Here are a few of my favorites.

36 weeks!

Then one week after I arrived my hubby brought me my babies!!!!

Once I got all the cuddles they were going to allow 

they wanted to see the property.

 So we went for a "walk" to wear the kids out ;)

Then after nap time we went swimming at the local rec center

It was so wonderful to have my family with me!

I was sure that baby was going to come soon, so Mike decided he would stay.

The next day we started Operation: "Walk the Baby Out" :)

Our New House: Backyard Addition

When we moved into our house there was no fence, no grass, and no patio. 

A year later we are making some progress!

We planted grass and had a big back patio laid 

 Mike built a fence with the help of his dad, sister, and Jenna

Then this spring it was time to make the back corner of our yard "The Kid Zone"

My only job in all of it was drawing a picture, doing some safety research, and Amazon Shopping!

When I was done I gave my work over to Mike and his parents, and they brought my idea to life!

Step 1: Bringing in the wood

Yay having minions (and their caped manager)

Step 2: Foundation, walls, and swing beam 

And Beam testing ;)

Step 3: Putting up railing to make the upstairs of both forts safe. 

And putting up the very important tic tac toe ;)

Kade got to cut all of the railing, and did a fantastic job!

 Jim never wanted to come down once his was "done"

He now knows how to say X, O, and well Roar is what he says for lion

The kids loved working and playing on the "job site" 

I don't really know what they were playing, but ya know... kids! 

And I really don't know why my son prefers to work naked?!?!

Step 4: Painting 

Mike's mom actually did 98% of the painting, because she is awesome like that!

And being the wonderful Grandma she is she always made sure to let the kids "help" her, and spent so much time working on all of the "little details" to make it just right!

Step 5: Put up and paint interior walls 

And then of course trying out the chalk board walls immediately

Step 6: Swings!! 

 Safe to say it was the kid's favorite step so far!

Step 7: Rock wall, fire poll, and chin up bar on the big kids fort

My husband is a trooper those rocks take 6 steps each to put up... he loves all my ideas ;)

Step 7: The roof

I am so glad that we had my father in law's experience for making this project so safe for my kids!

As far as James is concerned Papa hung the moon (for James), and Scott never had a problem slowing down building to teach his boy everything he knows!

Step 8: Stairs (and that darn) Slide... again me and my good ideas 

But the kids love it!!!

Well there is about 50 steps that I am leaving out like the 2 hours it took Michael to build the door I wanted for under Jim's fort, the bench and table Scott made James in 30 seconds without even trying, the little shutters that Sue made just because I thought it would be cute, or the 200 trips to Home Depot that each of them made for more sand, trim, safer parts then came with everything I bought online, more trim, more wood, tools I have never heard of, and oh did I mention trim?

The kids didn't mind that the project was taking a whole month they just played on it anyways ;)

All of that work, and it is finally over! 

Friday morning the Orkin guy sprayed for bugs, then the bark guys blew in 10 yards of bark, and Mike filled up the sand box!

James played in his new kitchen while Mike and I cleaned up the tools, and added the finishing touches!

Here is the upstairs of the kids fort

The down stairs of James's fort from his front window 

And the sand box under the big kids' fort

When the kids got home from school they all got to play on the finished product!

They were super excited!

And here is the reason we paid to have our floor plan flipped when we were building!

So that I could see my kids play from one of my master windows! 

**don't mind my prego belly in the reflection ;)

Now that I sit here uploading pictures for this post I can't help but feel so thankful for my husband and his incredible parents for all the time and money they put into this triangle of dirt just to make our kids happy!