Welcome Maya Lynn!

Where has my brain been? I haven't updated here since Maya was born! I'm not going to go into the whole thing right now as I have a long birth story all typed out on my other computer but...she's here!!

Unfortunately, the VBAC didn't go as planned - I did wind up having her via c-section on January 27, 2008 at 4:22am. Maya was a whopping 10lbs and 22inches long - no wonder I wound up with a c-section!!

M&M are thrilled and make such great daddies. <3

I've been pumping breastmilk for Maya and apparently she loves it - haha!!

I have to say this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I feel so fulfilled, I can't even describe it. I wish I could do this 100 more times. Obviously my body won't allow for that but it would be nice to have this feeling last forever.

I have to thank everyone who has been there for me through all of this:

Paul - thank you for being such a wonderful, supportive husband. I know you made a LOT of sacrifices for me this past year and I really appreciate it. Not many men would agree to put themselves and their family through something like this - I know you agreed to it because you knew how much it meant to me. Thank you for that. Thank you for everything. <3

Shayla - I know you don't understand because you are only 2 but you have sacrificed a lot during this whole journey. Especially now, after the c-section, when I can't pick you up and you can't jump and play on me like you want to. I promise everything will be back to normal soon.

My family - Thank you all for supporting me this past year. I know when I originally told you what I was doing you all thought I was crazy but you came through and supported me anyway. I am grateful to have all of you in my life.

My friends - Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This whole experience would have been very different if I didn't have you all there supporting me and cheering me on. You all mean so much to me.

Ness - my doula, my friend. Thank you for being you. I know for a fact I would not have been able to accomplish what I did that day if you weren't by my side. I love you.

Dr. Belder and the nurses at Lower Bucks Hospital (especially Renee, my L&D nurse) - Thank you all for believing in me. I was determined to have a great labor and delivery and a lot of that determination was because you all knew I could do it. I truly felt like we were a team and that made a huge difference in how I handled everything that day. I will never forget you.

I will be posting my birth story either today or tomorrow. After that I will continue to update every now and then with pictures or stories about Maya Lynn. Although my surrogacy is over, the journey isn't. This was just Chapter 1 in the book of little Maya's life. <3