The Final Bump: A Farewell to Pregnancy

"So I guess you must really like being pregnant then?," is a question I'm frequently asked when people find out that the baby I've carried for nine months isn't actually mine.

I suppose that yes, I do like being pregnant. Although my body has never been particularly great at the delivery portion of child-bearing, it sure knows how to successfully navigate nine months of growth, discomfort and all-around awesomeness.

Tomorrow I'm waddling into the operating room for my final delivery. A c section, another one. My fourth in five total deliveries. Two months shy of exactly 10 years since I delivered my first. I've had babies in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016 and now 2019. I have three girls of my own and am now delivering my second baby boy who will go home with his mom once the doctors okay his hospital departure.

And guys... It's all so very much more bittersweet than I was ready for!

I have a much different perspective on pregnancy as a surrogate, and I guess my emotions start there. Because, for most pregnant women, pregnancy is just the beginning. A small portion of the enormous journey that is motherhood. There isn't much time to think about delivery because it will ultimately be so short-lived. Once baby is here, mom (and dad) will be knee-deep in diapers and up-all-nights and onesies and worry. C section scars or stitches you-know-where will be forgotten when that precious newborn coos and smiles.

But for surrogates, the pregnancy is the journey, wholly and completely. Don't get me wrong- this isn't a sob story. Although newborns are wonderful and incredible and there is always part of me as a woman, as a mom, who will miss those early days and weeks of life, I'm in no way sad that I'm not bringing home a baby when I leave the hospital. The baby days for me are long-ago over, and that is truly something I'm okay with.

But there is magic in pregnancy, and in surrogacy especially, that I'm far more attached to than I've been able to admit to myself.

Because I've had three c sections and am having a fourth tomorrow (!!), my doctor has told me he simply will not sign off on any more surrogacies. And my husband years ago told me that he feels our family is complete and doesn't want any more littles. Both of these statements, these realities, I'm okay with. For the most part.

But concluding my fifth pregnancy feels like the end of an era. The end of a 10 year journey I truly never knew I would embark on when I took my first pregnancy test in early 2009. It's the end of maternity jeans and blossoming bumps and caffeine restrictions. It's the end of wondering who baby will look more like and if baby is a boy or a girl and feeling those kicks and flutters.

There is so much I look forward to in the upcoming days. A good glass of wine, for starters! Sleeping on my stomach. No more heartburn (I hope, anyway!). My expansive wardrobe that's been neglected for the past several months. Sushi, unlimited amounts of caffeine, a giant margarita from Fuzzy's.

Someday, I'm sure, I'll look back on all these years, all these pregnancies, and realize how fortunate I was. To carry life five times. To add five more amazing kids to this earth. But for now, I'm going to be a little sad, a little emotional (and extremely, extremely hormonal!) that tomorrow my journey comes to an end. All good things, right?

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Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Galveston Island: Escape to the Beach

Throughout the years I've lived in DFW, I've always gotten mixed reviews of Galveston, some five hours south of DFW on the Gulf of Mexico. While some have told me it's a fun beach getaway, many have rolled their eyes at the destination. I've heard comments about how the beaches aren't very pretty and there isn't much to do.

But my family decided to book a large beach house and enjoy a week together in Galveston, hanging out, splashing in the water, building sandcastles and just unwinding. At 34 weeks pregnant (with a kiddo who isn't mine), I thought sitting on the beach and staring at the waves sounded pretty wonderful, and Galveston was close to great hospitals in Houston should I need one, so I was in.

We stayed at a large AirBnB house on the west end of the island, meaning we weren't super close to all the usual tourist haunts. We brought in a lot of our own food so we wouldn't need to eat out for every meal. The rental house had a garage full of boogie boards and sand toys, and we brought beach umbrellas, chairs and towels to make the most of the bright, sunny days.

We loved the west end of Galveston Island. It was never as crowded as the areas near Pleasure Pier, one of the largest tourist draws in the area. We would claim the spot directly out from our rental house each morning with chairs and umbrellas and then wander out at our leisure. My girls could run back and forth from house to beach (as long as an adult was at either location) to use the bathroom, grab a snack or take a break from the sun without worry. We spent our days searching for crabs (and hoping to not find any jellyfish!), catching minnows and enjoying the endless waves and shallow water in the Gulf. The water was often incredibly warm, which was great.

We did venture into town several times to check out recommended hot spots and kids activities, so I do have a few recommendations!

For food, we loved The Spot. It is ranked the number one eatery for tourists, and it's a well-earned title. The Spot is five venues in one that serves up yummy food in a laidback environment. I had a yummy island salad, and my girls loved their generously-portioned kids meals. We watched the waves roll in from our table on the porch. Highly recommend! http://thespot.islandfamous.com/

Another eatery we loved was Jimmy's on the Pier. It's small and requires a trip up steep steps, something to consider if you have strollers or others who have a hard time with stairs. But the views of the water are outstanding and the food (and drinks, so I'm told!) is great. The seafood is fresh from the Gulf, and, after you dine, you can get a free pass to walk out on the fishing pier below the restaurant. My girls loved watching fishermen and trying to spot fish in the water. https://www.jimmysonthepier.com/

Other spots we recommend checking out are Woody's and The Sand Bar.

We never made it to Pleasure Pier because the weather was really, really warm, and I am really, really pregnant, although my girls whined quite a bit about not being able to ride the rollercoasters (next time!). We did try out the Shark 5D movie, which I sadly don't recommend for $7 per person, and the Rainforest River Adventure Ride at Rainforest Cafe, which we actually did enjoy for $6.49 per person. Magic Carpet Mini Golf is a fun outing for $10 per person ($7 for kids) for 18 holes of mini golf. It's a great course, but there is little airflow even in the shade and I would not recommend it on a really warm day.

Our favorite activity was riding the Galveston Island/ Port Bolivar Ferry. Check the Website for times, but the ferries run continuously and frequently and are totally free. You can drive your car or walk on. Because it was a busy day, we decided to walk on to save time. The ride each way took about 15 minutes and it was so worth it. We saw countless dolphins dancing through the waters. My girls loved this! We also got a look at the SS Selma, a sunken ship from World War I that is somewhat of a local legend. I cannot recommend this ferry ride enough. It was probably my girls' favorite thing that we did, and it was free (and had bathrooms on board!).
To learn more about the ferry, go here:
https://www.galveston.com/galvestonferry/
To learn more about the sunken ship you will see on your ferry ride, go here:
https://crystalbeach.com/selma.htm

We went to The Strand, the downtown main street, early in our trip, and enjoyed La King's, a well-known ice cream shop and confectionery on the island. Not only did we enjoy yummy ice cream and fountain Coke with cherry syrup, we were able to see a taffy pull and discover how salt water taffy is made. The store is stocked with every sweet treat you could possibly imagine- my girls were in heaven! This store is also dates back to the early Twentieth Century and is well worth a visit! https://lakingsconfectionery.com/visit-us/

My big girls took a Harry Potter-themed cooking class while on vacation at the cutest cooking store I have ever visited, The Kitchen Chick. For three hours they made and enjoyed lunch treats such as Butter Beer and Cauldron Cakes. If you are looking for a few hours without the kids so you and your SO can enjoy a meal together, I recommend looking into classes here. My girls raved about how much fun they had! http://www.thekitchenchick.com/

We also enjoyed souvenir and window-shopping downtown, as well as a few fun photo opps in the downtown square. But really, we enjoyed our time on the beach the most. You can drive on the beach (near the west end, at least), making it easily accessible for everyone. Closer to Pleasure Pier and downtown Galveston, there are umbrellas and chairs to rent so you don't need to haul your own, and lots of street parking (for a fee). We drove by lots of great hotels and RV parks that we may check out next time we make the drive. We saw fantastic fireworks on the 4th of July and loved watching the waves roll in each day.

Are there any spots I missed? Any Galveston recommendations you would add to my list?

Friday, July 5, 2019

Exploring the Metroplex: A Weekend in Mesquite

When I think of Mesquite, Texas, the first thing that comes to mind is the rodeo. Maybe also barbeque, if I'm honest. But here in North Texas, I feel confident in saying that Mesquite is synonymous with its famous rodeo. So when I was invited on a media trip around the city in late June, I was excited. I love exploring DFW and beyond, and I couldn't wait to see what makes Mesquite unique!

 Located about 40 miles east of Arlington, Mesquite is an eastern suburb of Dallas proper. As of the 2018 census, the city has more than 140,000 residents and is declared the "Rodeo Capital of Texas." The city has been named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Founded in 1878, Mesquite even has its own airport. Mesquite got its name from locals who named the town after Mesquite Creek.

During the media tour, I was able to tour the Opal Lawrence Historical Park, a fun piece of Mesquite's history that is part of the National Register of Historic Places and a great local spot to learn about life in the city during the early Twentieth Century. Local groups (think schools, daycares, scouting groups, and so many more) can tour the historical property and learn about the family that grew up here. The house itself has been wonderfully preserved and offers a glimpse into life 100 years ago. The part my youngest found most fascinating (me, too, if I'm honest!), is that this house was occupied by members of the family until 1995 and did not have any indoor plumbing! Can you imagine? For more information, visit https://www.visitmesquitetx.com/business/opal-lawrence-historical-park.

We also got to see Downtown Mesquite, which, not unlike Arlington, is undergoing a revitalization. The historic downtown square is ready for new businesses to delight locals and visitors alike. We got to visit Bear Cave Coffee, one of the new businesses hoping to revitalize the square. We enjoyed listening to the owners speak about their passion for java while the kids on the tour were able to draw and play in the Cubs Cave, an area designated for kiddos inside the shop. For more information, visit https://www.visitmesquitetx.com/business/downtown-mesquite.

Other awesome places I highly recommend in Mesquite (especially if you are visiting with kids!), are City Lake Park (bring some seeds or other approved foods and feed the ducks or pack a lunch and play on the playground or bring some cash and splash around in the adjacent City Lake Aquatic Center, which charges an admission fee) and the Mesquite Arts Center, which offers lots of fantastic programming for residents and visitors. This is the awesome spot where we got to screenprint shirts, which was so cool and new for us! My youngest has been proudly wearing hers for a week now, telling everyone she made it herself. For more information, visit https://www.cityofmesquite.com/214/Parks-Recreation.

But certainly, if you do anything while you are visiting the Metroplex's other half, I recommend it be the rodeo. The Mesquite Championship Rodeo, we got to attend in June was literally my youngest's first rodeo, and it did not disappoint! Doors open about an hour before the events begin to allow kids to check out the Kid's Zone. Little Miss was able to ride a pony, pet animals, and bounce in a bounce house. She got her wiggles out so she could sit (somewhat) still and watching the cowboys in the arena try to last eight seconds on a bull, rope calves, barrel race and so much more.

The rodeo runs June to August and is such an up-tempo, high-energy event for all ages. The rodeo clowns are a hoot and kept us entertained during slower moments of the rodeo (hard to believe slower moments even exist the rodeo life is so fast and exciting!). There was an intermission halfway through, and kids were included in the show! During the second half, any kiddo who wanted could go down into the arena and chase after two calves that had ribbons tied on their tails. The two kiddos who snagged these ribbons won gift certificates to Shenaniganz in Rockwall. You could also sign up for a chance to participate in mutton-bustin', which my daughter was so bummed she wasn't picked for! (Names are pulled at random from all kiddos who sign up) We got to watch a few adorable kids try to last eight seconds on the back of a sheep! Throughout the rodeo, things such as t-shirts were tossed into the crowd, so she was always trying to catch goodies. The rodeo has drinks and snacks for purchase, as well as a number of vendors you can shop before and during the event. The last rodeo of the summer on August 24 even features a post-event concert by Clay Walker! Tickets prices vary but start at $22 for a given Saturday night's event. For more information, https://www.visitmesquitetx.com/p/events/mesquite-championship-rodeo

If you need a place to stay after the rodeo, check out the Hampton Inn & Suites in Mesquite- it's just a quick walk to the rodeo from there! (And the pool is great for kids!)

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*Please note, I was hosted in Mesquite by the Mesquite Visitors and Convention Bureau. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*