Stitch Fix #3 Reveal

I got this fix ... Before Easter but as life has it... I had to wait for the reveal.  I needed to wait to get some items exchanged for size and also meant to have someone else take the photos.  First order of business, I need to fire the photographer.  She is terrible... (it was me using the timer on my front facing camera on my phone).  The outtakes were hilarious -- a lot of stomach and cleavage shots when I the button was pushed and now as I write this... I am wondering why I didn't just push the button on my watch to take the photo. 

I am also going to show some photos of shipping my donated milk at the bottom -- I have meant to post these since February!!

SO here is stitch fix #3 and I was very pleased.  First is the note I sent them showing what I was interested in:

Here is the beautiful goods in the box in their trademark packaging. 

Chelsea is the sweetest and personalizes every note to me.  I think the service that Stitch Fix offers is Amazing!!!

Here are the items from my fix styled the best I know how! I am still learning this stuff.

I absolutely ADORE this top.  It is so cute!  It is very flattering and versatile. I could wear it with leggings, a skirt, jeans, skinnies, with a blazer, with a denim jacket.  The colors are amazing.  Very spring like. I thought it looked a bit like snake skin print on my peek, but I am thrilled with this top, the texture and the print!

Style Card with it

I requested this blazer specifically because I do not have any blazers at all. I do not like how boxy they feel. They make me feel totally constricted but this one is knit and the flirty ruffles on the back makes it an amazing staple!  It is Navy Blue and can go with so many things. 

Next up:

This Henley top is not a natural fiber, it is Rayon but it's a great summer piece and like Chelsea said, it is longer so it doesn't make me look boxy.  I am excited for this one even if it looked plain when I first peeked. 

This denim jacket is amazing. I wanted a denim jacket. I used to have one years ago (when they were last in style) but a friend borrowed it and never returned it.  I have worn this jacket nearly every day since I got it ... well every day that I put real pants on lol.  This dress is one of my new pieces -- it is a LuLaRoe Julia Dress.  I was afraid that it would look terrible on my less than perfect body but paired with this jacket and these wedges, I am very pleased with this outfit!

 

My Final piece was a top that was bright orange-red.  I kinda knew I wasn't going to like it when I got it but to get the 25% discount, I decided to keep it.  

I just could tell when I looked at the photo in the peek, that it lacked anything special. I felt the same way when it got here, but I figured I would make the best of it regardless.  I found some LuLaRoe leggings to match it so it will be a great around the house lounging outfit.  The shirt is thin and very clingy to the wrong area and probably not a color I would choose for myself -- but paired with the leggings, it was good enough to keep so I could get the discount which was more than the price of the shirt. 

Here are a few more things that I have recently purchased or paired with former Stitch Fix items. 

A

Another great lounging outfit for home.  A LuLaRoe Randy Ragland Shirt and leggings. 

The item on the left is a new Julia and the one on the Right is a new Cassie. Haven't had time to style them much but will be putting this in the circulation of favorite outfits already!

This is a LuLaRoe Amelia Dress but I think the size is off on me so I am going to trade it for a new item. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Cute Pattern though! 

 

 

A new Maxi Skirt

Classic T From LuLaRoe and also got a yellow one as well

So I am going to copy and paste what Stitch Fix is so those who are reading and interested... you can read what exactly this service is! 

What is stitch fix?  You fill out a comprehensive questionnaire that describes your style, your wants, your needs, what you don't want then you schedule a fix.  A fix is 5 items that come in a gorgeously wrapped box that you get to try on and decide if you want one, a few or all of the pieces.  You pay a $20 style fee for the box to come to you and if you purchase an item, that $20 goes towards the purchase of an item.  They send shoes, clothes (tops, bottoms, jackets, sweaters, dresses, skirts, all of it!), accessories including bags and jewelry and its chosen just for you! If you choose to keep all 5 items, you get a 25% discount on all of it...

If you want to check out Stitch Fix, please consider using my referral link.  When you post your own reveal and your friends decide to try Stitch Fix, you get a $25 referral credit for your next fix so why not give it a try!?  Melanie's Stitch Fix Referral Link

Next up, to keep this surrogacy related, I would love to report that my IPs have emailed me some darling photos of A.  She is so expressive and the parents just... glow.  They just look more complete and changed since they became parents. It has been amazing to see that change in them!  They have also recently moved somewhere that they feel is more conducive to raising a family -- I can only imagine the house they are living in.. something I would imagine in a movie -- like a cottage by the sea! 

Also, pumping has been going extremely well. I am now pumping 6 times a day -- once at night and 6 times during the day for a total of 7.  A sample of my schedule is:
2:30 AM

6:45 AM

9:45 AM
12:45 PM
3:45 PM
7:00 PM

10:00 PM

Sometimes it is hard living my life in 3 hour increments and carrying pumps everywhere but pumping and being compensated is such a blessing to our family.  The generous milk bank I send my milk to makes a fortified product for micro preemies (babies that are usually born before 28 weeks).  Even though I am compensated for my time, it does not take the burden away from my life.  When we go out of town for a weekend, I cannot send that milk to the bank. When I am dealing with headaches, I cannot take medication.  When I am out visiting with friends, I have to stop what I am doing and go pump.  I cannot imagine pumping this much without being compensated!

So here are some stats for anyone reading:

Ounces to date 6561

Gallons to date 51.25

Time spent pumping in the last nearly 16 weeks: 21 days (that is almost 1.5 days per week I spend attached to the pump).  

All together, there have been 830 pumping sessions. 

There is a lot of time and effort invested in pumping.  I pump for Prolacta Milk Bank and if you are interested in being a compensated donor, check them out -- For Surrogates -- Click Here and For Mamas with a Surplus of Milk from your own baby -- Click Here.  Surrogates are provided with a pump and all necessary supplies and moms with their own babies are provided with storage bags.  Both are provided with large coolers and Prolacta covers all shipping charges.

Here's some photos of my coolers/freezers and crying doula (yep, she's still around and helps me pack coolers!) helping me pack my first set of coolers.

Since the first few shipments, I have learned to put a cookie sheet on top of the flat milk freezing so that the bags are more uniform and flatter.  Now I can fit nearly 500 oz per cooler where I was only able to fit 375 oz the first few coolers. 

She is the best doula ever.  So blessed to have this beautiful girl in my life.  She is now Piper's favorite person and she's one of my favorite people too -- we do lunch at least once a week and chat 24 hours a day -- she doesn't always sleep well and I text when I am pumping.  One of the best things I got out of surrogacy was her friendship!!

Of course I had to ad photos of my little helper pushing the boxes out to the alley for the Fed Ex man to come and get them!

So how is the happy family?

I get at least one text or FB message asking me this daily.  I suppose because I posted at least once a week, sometimes more, for more than a year then suddenly I don't have too much to say anymore!

I thought about this as I took a shower this evening.. I was not sure what I was going to say.  The beauty of surrogacy is that somehow, I was trusted by God and by a couple to make them into parents.  I did that.  It is so surreal.  About 12 weeks ago (I don't know exact numbers anymore, but if it were my own child, I would know the months, weeks and days since they were born!), I delivered Teacup at 4am on a Thursday morning.  I think about her often, yet I don't at the same time.  When I stand looking at myself in the mirror and see the stretch marks and stretched out skin or every time I sit to pump, and Piper is in the room, she asks if I am pumping for Baby Aggy.  There are things that remind me, but at the same time, pumping is a part of my schedule and the fact that I had a baby in my body seems so foreign and a thing of the past. 

I imagine that E&L and baby A are getting along well but I don't get a lot of updates anymore.  Often just succinct responses to answer or ask questions about bills or medical records that arise and to say that everyone is doing well.  They are probably busy with life.  The other part to this is that they don't HAVE to send me emails or updates.  I did not have any expectations as to what would happen at the end of the journey, after all, when you are not the only one making decisions and choices, it is hard to have expectations.  We both upheld the contract.  We both did what we promised and the truth is, if that is the end of the relationship, then all is not lost.  I did something so amazing for someone else and I am very proud of that.  I am very thankful for whatever small glimpses of their life and of A that they offer me! 

So if you ask.... and I give you a curt answer, chances are, I honestly don't know how they are or maybe I have not heard from them recently!  My fondness for them will be forever more, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.  Our relationship has never tarnished, but as distance always does, it drove a wedge between communication between us and that is okay.  I cannot pretend to know how it feels to be on the other side of the coin as Intended Parents. Would I feel threatened?  Would I feel nervous and scared about how the surrogate felt about my child?  There is no book written for this and just about every feeling that any of us have felt... they are all normal. 

So onto other things... I sent a book to them from the first meeting way back in September 2014 all the way to the most recent photo I have of A (sometime in early February).  I had photos from the transfer, the positive tests, the foods that I craved or lived on while pregnant, bump photos, ultrasounds, the delivery, and I actually started the book  as a fairy tale when Mom & Dad met and their wedding photos... I shared things they said via email to me... and of course, I shared photos of them as a family... On the last page, I wrote this.. It was a letter to A.  I hope they share this book with fondness with her so that one day, she know how she came to be... and how much they loved each other and her to get to the place that they are now!

A,
I cannot begin to explain the joy that your tiny little toes, your sweet soft skin and your wide eyed wonder has brought to so many people.  When we all started this journey, I didn't know the immeasurable happiness that your parents would bring to me and my family's life on a daily basis.  People often tell me how amazing I am for carrying you for perfect strangers.  The truth is, your parents are no longer strangers and they are even more amazing than people think that I am for bringing you to them.  We will forever have this bond that will keep us together through the distance.  You were a dream for many and now, as they hold you and rock you to sleep at night, bathe you, and just snuggle you, you are a reality. 

Remember that life is full of choices. Sweet girl, always choose the fun option (within reason of course).  Dance like no one is watching. Your light will always shine brighter so long as you don't blow out anyone elses light so be kind to everyone.  Find something nice in each person you encounter. Cling to memories, not places.  The more money you save now, the more money you will have when you are older, but buy that lipstick or shoes that you love; splurging occasionally is warranted.  Wait for the boy who kisses your forehead before your lips.  Dance with God and He will let the perfect man cut in.  True character is what we do when we think no one else is watching.  A strong woman stands up for herself.  A stronger woman stands up for everyone else.  Please and Thank You are still magical words. If they don't respect and value you, then they don't deserve you.  You're amazing just the way you are.

My dream for you is that you get your mother's beauty and class, her knack for style, her strong, yet feminine presence.  That you get your dad's uncanny wit and ability to write so eloquently and tell stories so colorful that others become riveted.  But most of all, my dream for you is that you find a love like your parents' love.  Their love for each other was so strong that they were determined to travel up a path on a long journey to find you and they did not stop until you were in their arms.  A love this true is rare. 

Finally, as you read this, know that I think about you often.  You and your parents changed me. You have enriched my life in a way that I will never be able to explain.  I feel such honor that your parents chose ME to help deliver you to them.  It is such a gift to have that kind of trust put into you.  I hope you feel beautiful today sweet Aggy.  You are going to do incredible things as you grow up! 
Love always,
Melanie
The Stork

In this package, I also sent a onsie I had made for A.  It was perfect sentiments for how she came to be..

So there's your little update.  I am now back to pre-pregnancy weight finally and I started running again and working out. I still have 30 lbs to lose to be where I was before I started IVF meds for my previous match but I have lost 40 lbs since birth so I am losing it one lb at a time!  I am also making 72-75 ounces a day still of breast milk and I am now up to making about 4 gallons of milk a week.  Eat your heart out Bessie.  I have made 4822 ounces since starting pumping at birth and that would be about 38 gallons of milk.  I donated nearly 500 ounces of milk to a family while in Disney and that felt wonderful!

Also, I have decided to do another surrogacy... I don't have details at this time to share, but when I do, I have decided to continue this blog rather than starting another blog. I have followers from all over the world!  I literally have followers in more than 30 countries and some check in daily-- even if I don't have an update.  So I have decided that I will continue this blog for life as well as a future surrogacy journey! I hope you are as excited about this as I am! 

Thank you everyone for reading and checking in with me! I adore each and every one of you!

Stitch Fix #2 Reveal - It's a good one!

I love checking out pinterest and peruse everyone's fixes.  These women have some beautiful fix reveals.  The photography and background is gorgeous, their fix ALWAYS fits well.. it is pretty amazing that a stranger that has never laid eyes on someone can choose clothing for someone else! 

Before we get started, what is stitch fix?

Stitch fix is a personal shopping experience where you pay $20 for a stylist to send you 5 different item that he or she (yes there are men stylists with Stitch Fix!) sends you, you try them out and you either buy or send back!  If you purchase one item, that $20 stylist fee actually goes towards the item so what do you have to lose?  If you purchase all 5 items, you get a 25% discount on everything plus the stylist fee is discounted from your total.  You can schedule fixes or you can manually request them -- so you can get them as often or infrequently as you want -- no minimum requirements ever.

How does your stylist know what to send you?

First you fill out a long profile asking about sizes and your needs -- casual, dresses, office wear -- and you fill out questions about what you would like to see in your fix -- bottoms (skirts, shorts, pants, dresses), tops (tanks, long sleeves, sweaters etc), outerwear including jackets and vests, shoes, accessories including jewelry and bags.  You also get to choose how much on their range that you want to spend for each category.  You also get to write your stylist a note -- do you have a special occasion coming up?  Need a new pair of jeans or a blazer?  You write that write in your message.  Mine says all casual items with natural machine washable fibers.  What can I say? I am a mom and need simplicity in my life.  And finally, you can link your pinterest board to your profile so your stylist can see what you would like to see sent to you. In fact, every single item I have in my fix was pinned (or something similar) on my pinterest Stitch Fix Inspirations Board.

If you choose to try out this personal stylist service, please consider clicking a link so that I can get a referral credit -- and if you like it, your friends can sign up and you can get a referral credit too! 

My Stitch Fix referral link

So without further ado, here is my amazing fix.  I have to admit, I cheated and peeked when I saw it was on the way... I knew immediately I would like everything except maybe the chambray shirt but I started thinking about ways to style this piece, it might just be a 5/5!!

Their trademark beautiful packaging with a sneak peak to your beautiful new duds.

The personal note from your stylist as to why they chose the items they did and they also recommend mixing items from the current fix or previous fixes to style these items together.  I have only gotten tops, so they aren't able to recommend an entire outfit yet for me.

Item number one I tried on was this gorgeous tank. I was so excited for this one.  I had pinned it but I wasn't sure how it would look.  The fit is so flattering on my less than perfect (okay let's be honest, totally squishy belly!)  Verdict KEEP!

I absolutely love this tank and I chose to style it with a pair of capris and sperry casual shoes.  This is a great outfit for me to wear to Disney and I think it is casual enough for disney, but I can still look stylish for photos!

I adore the print on this top!

 

Next up, I tried the next top I was very excited about.  This mixed fabric top looked promising.  It is loose on the front side.  It is casual yet chic at the same time.  Except the fit... It is a terrible fit on me.  The back looks super cute.  The front is too short and it just leaves me looking boxy.  Leaves nothing to be desired for sure!  Verdict -- SEND BACK FAST! 

I really wanted to like this.  I thought the idea was so cute... But this is why we try the styling service.  You don't like it, you send it back! 

But the back is so darn cute!

The materials are beautiful.

Next up is this gorgeous lace top.  Another one that I pinned this exact top on.  I love this top but I could have used a bigger size.  It is also a bit delicate for me to wear around kids and since we don't do fancy dates, I just think this would sit in the closet with the tags still on it.  Although the shirt is so blissfully soft, the lace is delicate.  Verdict -- RETURN

 It is an okay fit -- the length is long enough, seems okay in the chest, but could use more fabric in the midsection for me.  Would look great on another woman, its just 'okay' on me though.

Hugs me in all of the wrong places.

Close up of the lace detail

The chambray shirt -- When I saw it on the peek, I thought "No Way!!" but that is the beauty of this.  I tried this top on and and I didn't hate it.  I think I would need to size up.  I think I did okay styling it, but it wouldn't get a lot of love in my closet.  The material of this is ... like heaven. I cannot even explain how soft this material is... It is like clouds surrounding you.  It is amazing and I am really picky about fabrics.  Verdict - RETURN

Couldn't decide if I was thin enough to do it belted, so I tried it belted and unbelted.

Close up of fabric/print

Finally, this dolman was what I consider my do-over for the last dolman. I love the way dolmans look but the last one just wasn't working for me.  My chest took up all of the extra fabric and it was no longer a dolman. This one, I had pinned on my board and it has this band that will work now and when I lose 20 lbs.  The band hides that squishy belly so well. I was unsure if it was too tight or if the fit was good, but upon posting a photo on the B/S/T group, apparently, I am just really critical on myself and I should keep this top!  It is super soft and feels wonderful.  

So what do you think?  Do you think Chelsea knocked it out of the park?  She had a lot of my rules she needed to follow and she followed every single one.  Just because the fit is off, does not mean she didn't do a great job!  I think she did fantastic.  I wish all of this looked wonderful on me, but even when I choose my own stuff off of the shelf, I don't pick things that fit every single time (or even half of the time! LOL)

Also, today was my Ipsy delivery too!  What is ipsy? It is a $10 a month beauty bag delivery service.  They send you a cute bag filled with full sized beauty goodies.  This month was a fun one.  The bag alone makes me smile monthly but I have gotten many really wonderful products in this little bag.  My favorite was a hair product that was full sized and it costs $18 at kohl's to purchase this one item and yet I got that and 4 other products plus a cute bag-- all for $10!

If you want to check out Ipsy, I do get points for you joining! So please use my referral code if you are interested!  Ipsy Referral Code

That is it for now! I still need to post a step-by-step packing of the 5 coolers of 2,000 ounce of breast milk that went to the preemies milk bank 2 weeks ago. I already have 5 more sitting in my garage for next week too!  It's crazy how quickly that milk stacks up.  I also got the most darling photos of Ms. A in the last week.  One of her and her daddy before Valentines where he declared that she is his, forever.  Of course she is.  She will always have a Valentine in her mummy and daddy!  Also, I got one today of her smiling this gorgeous smile.  She truly is darling but I feel like it was so long ago that I delivered her.. it almost doesn't seem real anymore.  Such a beautiful thing -- surrogacy!  <3