15. Baby Fever
Image: O** Lane
There comes a time when everyone reaches a certain age and decides whether or not they want children. For some, it’s a definite “yes,” but many others are perfectly happy living life without mini-me’s running around. For Ashley Gardner, after eight years of trying for a baby of her own, she wondered if her dream would ever become a reality.
14. Struggles with Infertility
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Both Ashley and her husband Tyson had tried to conceive for years but without much success. Due to Ashley’s endometriosis, the cells that should have been growing in her womb had spread to other areas of her body, creating fatigue and in her case infertility. However, this time the couple hoped the outcome would be different as they waited nervously for the results of their ultrasound because the excessive attempts to get pregnant were slowly breaking them down.
13. The Last Resort: IVF
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To say Ashley and Tyson had tried everything would be an understatement. After saving for years, they were able to finally pay for in vitro fertilization (IVF) as their last resort for trying to start a family. It was an expensive gamble with no guarantee of success. The IVF process is no picnic either—not only did Ashley have to undergo injections for 25 days, but she had to be monitored closely with multiple ultrasounds every week.
12. A Tiring and Painful Experience
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Even though the process was arduous on the couple, they kept their spirits up and knew that whatever happened would be the right outcome. After the treatment had concluded, the doctors were able to harvest her eggs and successfully implant 16 in her womb over the course of a month. For most women, they are lucky if one egg is successful.
11. Only Two Embryos
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However, the process was far from over. Now that the eggs were harvested, the fertility doctors had to fertilize the eggs and create healthy embryos to be placed inside Ashley’s womb. Due to her condition, implanting the embryos proved to be a struggle and, in the end, only two were able to be implanted into Ashley, limiting their chances for success.
10. Taking to Social Media
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In order to share their IVF experience with others, Ashley and Tyson vlogged about their experiences on Youtube. They even chronicled their pregnancy reveal live inside the doctor’s office. When the day finally arrived with their results, they could never have guessed what surprise was in store.
9. A Little Bit Longer…
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Unfortunately, that surprise would have to wait almost two months before the doctors could determine how many of the embryos successfully developed and whether or not Ashley was successfully pregnant. Let’s just say that the wait was pretty excruciating for the couple. However, they waited 8 years, so what’s another two months?
8. The Big News
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When the day finally arrived, the doctors were thrilled to tell Ashley and Tyson that they weren’t just having one baby but two—she was pregnant with twins…Except that wasn’t all; both embryos had split, so they were having TWO sets of identical twins. To say the soon-to-be parents were shocked would be an understatement. Thankfully, Ashley was reclining on the examination table at the time.
7. Not Out of the Woods Yet…
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Ashley and Tyson immediately began preparing for what would be a long nine-month wait to meet their four children. In a series of blog posts, Ashley asked her fans for their love, prayers, and support—even though she was finally pregnant, she was still considered a “high risk” pregnancy.
6. Newfound Fame
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Over the course of her pregnancy, Ashley and Tyson’s heartwarming story made national headlines, with the couple even appearing on Good Morning America. Thankfully, despite all the excitement, Ashley’s pregnancy was completely normal over the course of the full nine months.
5. Finally Home
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On December 29, 2014, Ashley gave birth to four beautiful baby girls. They named them Scarlett, Indie, Esme, and Evangeline. All four were healthy, strong and perfect. Of course, once they brought the girls home, they were in for some tiring nights; but, for Ashley and Tyson, it was all worth it.
4. A Proud Dad
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Tyson, Ashley’s husband, gushed over his wife and his four new daughters. “As a first-time dad, it’s been a roller coaster of emotions from the beginning. It will certainly be a challenge, but we’re up to it, and we’re confident.”
3. Reality TV Here We Come!
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As the story of the quadruplets continued to make the rounds, TLC got word of the new family of six and featured them on their show, “Rattled.” The couple also continued to vlog about the girls, keeping their fans up to date on their current adventures.
2. Tips for Parents
Image: The Daily Dot
Ashley’s blogging expertise is offering parenting advice, especially to new parents expecting more than one child at once. One of her most popular video vlogs featured the mother hiding from her children in the pantry just so she could have a moment to herself. The video went viral and even landed her on “Ellen” where the comedian gifted the family a dream vacation to Hawaii.
1. They Grow Up So Fast!
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You can continue to watch the Gardner family and their adventures via their YouTube Channel. It’s amazing how darling these girls are. They’re living proof that if you have a dream and want children badly enough, you can make that dream come true…even if it takes eight long years!