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Date December 28, 2005
Name Stefanie
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Comments Hi everyone.



Date December 28, 2005
Name Stefanie
Email holdenjessi@sbcglobal.net
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Comments Hi everyone! Let me start by saying how excited I am to be doing this for Tommy and Jeff. They seem like wonderful people who will make great daddies and I can't wait to deliver a happy, healthy baby to them in August! I had been feeling great up until about 2 weeks ago when the morning sickness started. On a typical day I’m nauseous the entire day but I’ve been able to eat at least a little so it hasn’t been that much of a problem. There haven’t been very many real cravings yet. Before the ‘morning (or ALL DAY) sickness’ I was craving bean and cheese burritos like mad. I would have them every day. Now however, my body has been craving much healthier foods like bananas, pineapple, peaches, milk and water. Sometimes I just can’t get enough water! I was a soda (Diet Pepsi) freak before getting pregnant but now I can’t enjoy them very often. So it’s all a great weight loss program for me! Ü Well, I haven’t been sleeping well for the past two nights so I’m off to the jacuzzi (the nurse said it was OK at 99) and then bed.



Date December 29, 2005
Name Annette Goldstein
Email agoldstein@sc.rr.com
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Comments Jeff and Tommy, I am so thrilled for you both. Also, thanks for sharing your photo's of family and friends. I will look forward to the next update. Fondly, Annette



Date December 31, 2005
Name Stefanie
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Comments Happy New Year everyone! Just a quick update. Bean had made me exceptionally sick today. I'm guessing it’s so that I won't eat all the junk my kids and I will be having tonight. Baby Bean has been keeping me on a pretty strict diet of healthy or nothing. I'm down 4lbs this week. The doctor said my body would crave the things it needs and I guess Bean needs a lot of fruits and veggies. Not that I haven’t been able to slip in some not-so-healthy food items, I just tend to be sicker after I’ve eaten them.



Date January 1, 2006
Name Kimberly
Email Chooseeternalife@sbcglobal.net
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Comments Let me just start off by saying my name is Kimber and im one of Stefanies sisters. :o) Just wanted to welcome bth Jeff and Tommy to the family. And now of course Baby Bean. If I can help you out in anyway please let me know okie dokie? I will be praying for all you guys and Stefanie and Baby Bean also. :o) God Bless always, Love, Kimi



Date January 3, 2006
Name Audrey
Email Audrey_a@sbcglobal.net
Home Page 1286 Discovery #98
City San Marcos
State Ca
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Comments Stephanie, You must be so proud to be carrying the "Baby Bean" for my dear friends Jeff and Tommy. I started out with Jeff in 1979 in Seattle working with him at Blue Cross of Wash/Alaska. Then to move on to being an employee of BCBS of So. Carolina in San Diego as Jeff being my VP. I am sure that you are honored to carry their baby. Those two, are two in a million. Loving, caring, wonderful, well no words can describe both of them. I love the site and I will follow to the end for the big day for all of you. I will keep you on my prayer list and that each day will get easier on the sickness. Fondly, Audrey from San Diego.



Date January 6, 2006
Name Stefanie
Email holdenjessi@sbcglobal.net
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Comments OK. Bean and I had and exceptionally good day. He/she allowed me to have two whole meal AND a snack. Woo hoo! We had an ultrasound this morning and everything looks great. Bean measured about 2 & 3/4 cm, which is exactly the right size for nine weeks and one day. We could see the little arm buds forming and the humungous head. The heartbeat was very strong at 180 BPM. Some people say you can tell the sex by the BPM but I don't know if that's true. So, everything seems right on track; exactly where it should be at this point in the pregnancy. I was disappointed to hear there would be no reduction in the amount of medication I get to inject for at least another two weeks. Oh well, at least they weren't increased right?



Date January 11, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments Hi all! We are feeling exceptionally well today. Sickness has been minimal these last three days so there isn’t much to report today. I was in a minor car accident but all are fine. Some one hit my driver’s side door. There’s a nice dent in the side of the car and I’m a little sore from tensing up on impact so I’ll be having Tylenol and Jacuzzi tonight!



Date January 18, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments I know it’s been a while since I last posted an update. I will try and post more often in the future. Wow! Have the pregnancy emotions started! I am still feeling sick as anything, moody as a beast and equally as tired but I’m just so overwhelmed with excitement to get this family started. I think this pregnancy is going slower than any other I’ve experienced. I’d like to thank everyone for their kind words on the bulletin boards. I am very proud and happy to be carrying little bean for Tommy and Jeff. I can’t wait until August so they can begin the next stage in their journey. I’m sorry that the journal entries so far are so boring. The first trimester seems to be the same thing everyday, sick, moody, and tired as heck! The second and third trimester will be much more exciting, with all the growing and moving bean will be doing. Since every entry seems to be the same I don’t want anyone to think I’m complaining at all. I look forward to all parts of pregnancy, even the sickness. The sickness is welcomed with open arms



Date January 26, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments We are at 12 weeks now and everything seems to be going great! Morning sickness is still hanging on but I’m able to eat more than I was before so that’s good. I’m still tired and cranky but I’m trying to make a human being inside of me and that takes a little bit of effort so tired is to be expected. :o) We had a B.U.N. test done yesterday which involves an ultrasound and a blood test. They compare the results of each test with other information from the egg donor and myself, to see what the likelihood of having a child with certain abnormalities would be. The doctor said everything that could be checked yesterday with just the ultrasound looked great and they would get back to us about the other results. The ultrasound pictures were amazing! Little Bean is only about 2 inches and already has arms, fingers, legs, feet and toes. And man, does this little one move! Wow! Bean didn’t stop moving the whole time; kicking, punching, touching it’s face, etc. I can’t express how amazing it was. I’ve had 4 other babies and I am sti



Date February 7, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments Hello! I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve updated the journal….I’m just such a busy girl. Everything is going great! The first trimester is over now and the nausea is almost gone. Yippee! I can’t eat 3 meals most days now although Bean is still very specific about what I can have. The belly is starting to expand ever so slightly. I can feel it in my clothes but you could really tell by looking at me. However, once the expanding starts, it gets really big really fast. I’m always surprised at how big and how quick actually. I haven’t started feeling the baby yet but Bean seems to be moving so much so it should be soon.



Date February 9, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments I have officially outgrown my first pair of pants. Nausea is subsiding and the second trimester energy is slowly kicking in. It’s wonderful! I have my first OB appointment tomorrow Feb. 10th at 10:30. Should be pretty boring. Just the usual check the urine, measure the belly and listen for the heartbeat. I will update tomorrow if anything exciting happens at the doctors.



Date February 18, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments The shots are officially over! I can’t begin to say how happy I am. :o) They were suppose to end at 11 or 12 weeks and now we are almost 16 weeks. Man, it’s about time! Bean and I had a great adventure yesterday. We went on a field trip to Irvine Regional Park with my daughter’s class. It was a very interesting day. Bean got to hike through the mountains and a dry riverbed, see snakes and rats up close and personal, learn about different ecosystems, shrubbery, food chains and animal excrement, ride a train and end the day at the zoo they have there. I think he/she really enjoyed it. I’ve been feeling much better lately. I find as long as baby is fed I don’t have to be sick. Still, I can’t enjoy Chinese, Mexican or Italian foods. Which is a bummer but also another sign it’s a girl. I had an OB appointment the other day and the doctor said that both of her girls had heartbeats that were in the 180’s so if she had to put money on it she would bet girl. I am so anxious to find out! I can’t wait to come out and visit. We a



Date February 19, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments Wow! I didn’t realize I was being cut off on some of the posts. The last one was cut off before I could say that we are excited to come out and meet everyone! Bean had another exciting day. We went for a long drive up to the mountains. Jeff and I packed a lunch and we found a really neat spot to eat and while we were eating (in the car of course) it snowed. It was really pretty. Bean didn’t like the PB&J I packed for us but then again, Bean doesn’t seem to like anything much I put in my belly. Right now it seems ANYTHING I eat, no matter how small, I get nauseous. Oh well, keeps the weight down. :o)



Date February 21, 2006
Name Cassie
Email CSquirt@aol.com
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City Columbia
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Comments Stefanie, I just wanted to say a big thank you for doing this for Tommy and Jeff. You are a very generous person. And I have to say with the high heartbeat, and fruit cravings, it's a girl too. Boys heartbeats are usually around 120, and girls 150+, if I remember correctly. I'm glad the morning sickness subsided, I had it first trimester with my son, and 2nd trimester with my daughter. As the saying goes, "this too shall come to pass." How old are your children? Cassie (Tommy's step sister btw)



Date March 11, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments We sure have been busy. The morning sickness is gone and I have much more energy now. I do have a complete loss of energy though 3:00pm everyday but it goes away pretty quickly and I’m good to go. Bean has started letting me know she/he’s there. I felt a really good kick for the first time the other day and it startled me. I couldn’t figure out what it was for a second. It pretty much feels like butterflies in my belly. No real strong movement yet. And certainly nothing anyone can feel from the outside. The feeling is like when you lose your stomach going down hill on a roller coaster if that makes sense??? It’s one of the most wonderful feelings in the world! Knowing that you are making a little human in your body is amazing! I can feel Bean twisting and turning right now. :o) So far it hasn’t disturbed my sleep. I can’t feel the movements enough to be kicked awake. Well, Bean has an exciting day of smog checks and shopping ahead that I need to get ready for. I will try and update again very soon. (Not 3 weeks this t



Date March 11, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments The last entry is suppose to end with 'Not three weeks this time.' :O)



Date April 6, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments Well, we are back and all settled back into our boring lives. :o) What a great time we had in South Carolina! It was wonderful to meet everyone and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the warm welcome from everyone. You were all so nice! THANK YOU THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all the wonderful gifts also. I cannot say thank you enough for everything, really. We were overwhelmed! I am feeling great now. The sickness is totally gone and I can sit back and enjoy the pregnancy. Carrigan is moving all the time and getting stronger everyday. She still isn’t to the point of waking me up at night so I’m happy about that. I had my first Braxton Hicks contraction last Thursday (3-30). They aren’t painful in any way but I can definitely tell when they are happening. All right, I woke on Saturday and I am officially HUGE! I am already uncomfortable and my belly had barely begun to expand. It will get about 3 times the size it is now. I know it’s ridiculous but I can’t even lie on the couch without feeling like I’m bigger than it.



Date April 25, 2006
Name STEF
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Comments Well, little Carrigan is getting so strong. You can actually see things move on my belly when she kicks. Sometimes she kicks so hard it startles me. I was able to feel that she had the hiccups for the first time yesterday. It’s so cute! Not much else to report. Feeling OK. The leg cramps have kicked in so I haven’t been sleeping well but other than that, no complaints. *Ü*



Date May 13, 2006
Name Stefanie
Email holdenjessi@sbcglobal.net
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Comments Everything is going great. Only complaint is heartburn. I’ve never had so much heartburn in my entire life! Some women swear that if you have a lot of heartburn when you’re pregnant, it means the baby will come out with a lot of hair. I’m anxious to see if this turns out to be true. I had a dr. appointment last Tuesday and she said everything looks great! Heartbeat is strong as can be. Belly is measuring exactly as it should. Weight is down a pound but she said that’s fine. I go back in 3 weeks and the following appt they will start checking to see if I’m dilating. I can’t believe how close it’s getting! Carrigan is getting incredibly strong. I think she’s practicing jump roping in there. I can see my belly move when she kicks and she can kick a small pillow off my belly if she really wants to!



Date June 19, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments Things are going very well! Only 8 weeks to go and no complaints here. Feet are a little swollen but other than that we are doing wonderfully! I’m getting anxious now. I can’t wait for Carrigan to get here so Tommy and Jeff can start there new life as a family. I have a dr. appointment tomorrow. I will try and update afterward. Should just be a regular check up….nothing exceptional. At the next appt however, the doctor should start checking to see if I’m dilating. That’s always exciting! Well, I’m sorry it’s been so long and this is so short. Everything is going swimmingly so there’s really nothing to report. (Thank God)



Date July 19, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments Well, I had a doctors appointment yesterday and it went great. Carrigan’s heartbeat is very strong; I’ve gained a whole pound in the last two weeks (or rather Carrigan probably has Ü) and have started having a few real contractions. Dr. Dhaliwal checked me and said that Carrigan is head down, but still pretty high and I am dilated to 1. Unfortunately nothing that would indicate labor will be coming soon as I can be at 1, 2 or even 3 for a few weeks. The doctor said to start walking more so that gravity can help in bringing her downward. So, I guess I will have to go shopping more often and this weekend we will be going to Universal Studios so that should help. I am 37 weeks now and will start having weekly appointments. I’ll get checked again next Tuesday. It’s getting so close now it’s unbelievable!!



Date August 1, 2006
Name Stefanie
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Comments I can’t believe it’s over (Well, for me anyway). It’s only just begun for the boys and I’m so excited for them. I have enjoyed this experience immensely and look forward to watching this family, I helped to create, blossom. Thank you to everyone for your support, kind words and generous gifts. It has been my pleasure to carry Carrigan these last 8 & ½ months and I can’t wait to see what a wonderful little person she grows into. I was so sad that Tommy and Jeff couldn’t be at the birth. At least they were able to have some of the experience with us via the telephone. Ultimately the end result was the same (sweet little baby) and now all is well. I will be following up with the story of labor and delivery so that we can all experience (without the pain) the birth of Carrigan. :o) I want to thank Tommy and Jeff again for the wonderful experience of helping in the making of the Starling-Littlefield family!