10 weeks...woohoo!

We are now 10 weeks pregnant :-) Our baby is the size of a kumquat but it's internal organs are starting to form, fingers and toes can move, and the brain is forming very quickly. The next OB appt is next week but it will be all about the TS so we aren't attending. We will, however go to the 15 week appointment because we are pretty sure we will get to hear the heartbeat on doppler! then 5 short weeks later we will have a 20 week u/s where we will NOT be finding out the sex of the baby! The bigger thing going on for us right now is this whole house buying debacle. It has been an absolute nightmare! We are in contract on our third house. Waiting for the appraisal...we thought. Then we got a call today from the mortgage broker. Rates have gone up an entire percentage point! And that is very bad news for us. What that meant was that now, with Shorty's current debt, we couldn't qualify for the house we are in contract on bc it would raise our mortgage and therefore her debt-to-income ratio. Are you kidding me??? We were qualified just fine for this when we started this process back in March. So, my quick thinking meant that this crisis only lasted about an hour. Since the VA still uses the "place of residence" rule we can't use my income on our home loan. This is only good for us in that it doesn't matter how much debt is in my name, only what's in Shorty's. So one quick trip to the bank and one loan out of Shorty's name and into mine...means we are still qualified for the home...whew! But it also means our mortgage payment is $150 more than what we had originally planned. ugh. It was either that or start looking for a house that is 20k less than what we were looking at. 20k less on a house and only $150 less a month=a house that needs a lot more work/updating/changing=more money spent in the long run. So, I am playing with the budget and we will work it out! Here's to hoping we get a quick and high appraisal and can move forward!! fingers and toes crossed!

The tides they are a' changin'

Yesterday was a historic day! Shorty and I have been hoping and wishing that by the time our baby arrives in January we could be a legally married couple and be a "legitimate" family in the eyes of the federal government. We have a domestic partnership in Oregon (that, for now, has a constitutional ban on gay marriage). There are still so many things to work out but I believe this will bring our family protections and benefits we weren't afforded before. On a baby note....we are up to the size of a cherry!! Almost to a kumquat :-) Toes are growing, fingers and joints are starting to move...and next week we will be at 10 weeks....almost out of the first trimester already! Our amazing surro has had very little morning sickness, it comes and goes at least. She bought one of those sea bands early on...I hope that is helping when it does hit. We are slowly but surely buying a ton of baby clothes!! lol We are not-so-patiently awaiting closing on a house before buying any big items...and we need to be a bit reserved because I have a feeling that with 2 baby showers we will get a load of things! :-) I'm not sure if I have said this yet but we are NOT finding out the sex of the baby. This is a sore spot for many of our friends and family and I say....tough. We don't get to feel the first kick, movement, etc so this our thing we can control. It's very exciting to be waiting!!!

The greatest gift

So I am watching "I'm Having Their Baby" and it is making me cry. I know the circumstances are different for the girls on here. They are putting their babies up for adoption, they didn't get pregnant for the specific couple. It just makes me think how amazing it is to have someone willing to do this for us. These moms are all having such a hard time making the decision to give their baby to a family that can give them a better life and I can't imagine how that feels. One of the moms decided after the baby was born to keep him and I think about how that would feel and I just can't. I also know that there are emotions that will surface from both our TS and from Shorty and me as we get further into this. We don't know what those will be. I don't think I can describe the feelings right now and how much joy and happiness and amazement and love (ok maybe I can describe it!) that I am feeling. I just want to tell everyone that will listen that we have an amazing TS that is giving us a gift that can never be matched. Our little Audrey or Bennett will forever be the greatest gift that has ever been given to us.