21 Weeks

We found out that they are expecting a Baby Boy AND a Baby Girl.

They are so excited.

I'm excited for them.

Everything went amazing, and I found out so much that makes me optimistic about the delivery of these little babies.

My doctor says that as long as A is head down (vertex) and is larger than B, we can have a vaginal delivery. AS of the scan, Baby B was 1 ounce smaller than A. An ounce is not a lot when you see it on someone full grown but it's quite a bit on a baby that's the size of banana.

I really want to have a vaginal delivery. I am scared of a c-section, but I would have one in a second if it was the safest for the babies.

My OB also doesn't foresee early labor for me, but he has given me an end date. He will induce me if I make it to 38 weeks. I wonder if I will? I think it would be kind of awesome to make it that far.

So, on Sunday I turned 21 weeks, Which means I now have less than 17 weeks left of this pregnancy. I hope it goes by fast. But not TOO fast, no babies in less than 15 weeks. 36 weeks is my goal. I may have mentioned that. I feel that it's fairly realistic, and by that point I'm sure I'll be too awkward to want to move or anything...

The parents are coming up right around then as well, and I really want/need them to be there for it.

Despite liking the idea of having a definite "end date" part of me wants to just wait it out, and actually have my water break unexpectedly, get in the car and drive to the hospital. With my son, I didn't get to experience that. I woke up, knew I was having a baby that day, and headed in to get induced....

No surprises there.

So, babies are the weight of a pomegranite this week, but about as long as 10" long carrot.

They start this week measuring head to toe rather than crown to rump, so in the space of a week they both "grew" 4 inches. Wow.

19 Weeks

I realize I haven't posted a bump shot---in a while on here, perhaps never. Either way, it's pretty epic. I need to post one when I get to my home computer.

I turned 19 weeks on Sunday, and today is Wednesday. So I'm about 1/2 way through this week. I'm almost 20 weeks with twins. The thought still blows my mind a little bit, I have to admit.

The parents are flying in later this evening and I'll see them tomorrow. They are coming for the 20 week gender/anatomy/anomaly scan. I can tell they are so excited.

We're doing lunch tomorrow, followed by the scan, my appointment and then the tour of the hospital. It should be a pretty fun day. I'm excited. And a little nervous. I want everything to be perfect for them.

I told them I felt the babies about a week ago. They were really happy. I've felt them on the outside once since then, and "saw" them from the outside twice. I wish they would cooperate tomorrow and let them have a feel. I think they'd enjoy it.

Either way--- look for an update from me on Friday and I'll let you know what Genders we have cooking in there.

I'm still guessing boy/girl.

Guess we'll find out soon :)

18 Weeks

So... as of Sunday... I had two sweet potato size babies growing in me. The week before they were onions.... I think I prefer the image of sweet potatoes.

As of today--- I have 8 days until the parents arrive and we go to the anatomy/anomaly/gender scan.

What do you think? Team Pink? Blue? One of each---- which I guess is team purple? hahahahaha Don't mind me... I'm tired.


Ever since the 12 week scan, I've thought these babies are boy/girl. I have a really scientific logic behind it..... their skulls were different shapes.

I'll only be with the parents for a few hours, but I'm pretty excited about seeing them again--- I realize it's been a year this month that we had our match meeting.... so much has happened in that time.

I set a goal for myself-- that I don't feel is unreachable--- and for me--- if this pregnancy follows my son's in ANY way--- not passable.

I want to make it to 36 weeks. With that in mind--- I'm halfway!!!! I wonder what the "record" is for holding twins in.....and delivering naturally (no c-section)?

1st Trimester Screening

I went out this last Wednesday (3/20) to the city. They don't offer the blood testing or the N/T scan where I live.

Wednesday U/S gave us all a lot of hope as both babies had wonderful N/T measurements. If you are not sure what I'm talking about, check THIS out.

I was told we would not get the blood results back for a few days, so imagine my surprise when I received the blood tests the evening after, yesterday.

Both babies are perfect :)

Even though they are not mine, I was still relieved to hear that. I got a video of the babies made and sent it to the IPs, they loved it.

12 Weeks

This blog has been neglected a bit, and I apologize. I was on bed rest for the last two weeks due to a sub-chronic hemorrhage. I spotted a bit, but nothing really major. The bed rest was more a precaution from the fertility clinic as I hadn't been released to my doctor yet.  I have been now, and I am off bed rest, finally. Tomorrow we have a N/T Scan. This u/s they will measure the fluid behing baby's neck. Abnormal results COULD mean a chromosome abnormality. We will combine these results with a blood tests that also checks for abnormalities and determine if a more invasive procedure is needed. (Amnio, cvs, etc.) We had our last U/S on Monday the 11th and both babies were growing well and were dancing away. This last Thursday we had our first OB appointment.  Anywho---- Still sick. I'm on zofran every 8 hours and that is SORT OF helping. But not much. I still gag at basically anything. It's crazy. I'm over it.

U/S Day

**so I'm not always saying IM/IP/IF, etc, I gave my Intended Parents fake names; Lily and David.**

So, as you know, today was the U/S. Our First, and hopefully, not our last.

My hospital always gets me in fast. Usually I'm out before my time to go in is there. I think they wanted to torture us this time. So I waited in the waiting room for a half hour. Lily text and let me know they were at the phone and ready when I was.

I finally got called back.

The U/S tech (who I'd never even seen before was WONDERFUL (more later on). I explained everything, and she was said she could take a quick peek to see if I would need a vaginal one, or an abdominal one... I didn't really want to have to get naked during the phone call. 

She told me she could see "stuff" but she would do a vaginal one for better pictures.

That was a relief. At least there was "stuff" in there.

So, I got undressed, laid back down, and called Lily. No answer. 

Called again. No answer.

I started getting really paranoid.

I called her phone normally, and I could hear her, but she couldn't hear me.

Fan-freakin-tastic.

I had full service, but I'm imagining something with all the led that's in Radiology was screwing with my phone.

She tried to call me back. Nothing. 

I got a text saying to make sure I at least got some photos to email, and to call her when it was done.  

I told the U/S tech who was currently "doing the boring stuff" (ovaries/etc) That I guess we could just continue on. I asked for special permission to record the heartbeat (if there was one) she said yes.

I wasn't really looking up at the screen, but decided I might as well. I was completely bummed.

Then my phone rang----- it was Lily, and she could see me, and I could see her!!! David popped his head in. They were grinning ear to ear.

I flipped the camera towards the screen just in time for the U/S tech to scroll?? over my uterus.

There were two dark circles.

Lily squealed almost immediately, "IS THAT TWIIIINNNS?"

The u/s tech told them it was. And then, she continues to talk to them like they were right there, explained where THEIR babies were, the yolk sack, the baby, FEET (yes, we saw little nubby feet).

Lily and David were smiling. They thought that was it. "Oh! Thank you so much!"

Then she measured them.

Baby A was Measuring 6w1day (4 days behind) but she said when they are that little it's really hard to get an accurate measurement. 

I thought Lily's faces was gonna break. They kept looking at each other, just so awestruck.

And again, they thought it was over.

Then the U/S tech zoomed in, and pointed at the screen. "See that? That's their heart beating." You could see the little flicker, I never saw that with Cody, no one ever showed me, it was fascinating. They moved and, andI could see that Lily was getting a little teary.

Then came the heartbeats.

Baby A= 136
Baby B= 140

Lily cried.

David looked close.

They were perfect little babies. 

Sorry for the crap quality, but I took a pic of the photo with my phone so you could see.

  

6 Weeks

I cannot stress how much I am so excited to get to this point. By this last time last transfer I was waiting to "pass" what should have been a healthy growing baby, and what was a sac that had grown but never developed into anything.

Although it's a bit naive, I've been telling myself that if I make it here I'll be good. And, I'm all for the power of positive thinking. 

I didn't really write down dates, but I can still recap on the last week:

• I went through almost a full week of sleeping upright so that the whole world did not spin in the morning.
• I've discovered that I pretty much have to be constantly eating if I don't want to be queasy all day.
• I got my final Beta results back, they were great at 17,119. I set my appointment for the first u/s.
• I decided I need to purchase stock in IceBreakers sours--- again, a morning (all day) sickness lifesaver.

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The Embryo This Week
Obviously, she's growing like crazy!
She's also circulating blood with her increasingly more sophisticated circulatory system.
She's about to get cuter too, since she's starting to sprout a nose, eyes, ears, chin and cheeks.
And she might even be wiggling her (paddle-like) hands and feet.

("The Bump" website has decided it's a girl apparently)

5 Weeks

I'm 5 Weeks today!!!!!!

So let's recap the last week

1/20/13-- Still POAS but my lines are now maxed out. I think I'm doing it out of habit now.
1/21/13-- see above :-p
1/22/13-- Spent the evening throwing up compliments of a stomach virus and morning sickness. Stopped POAS, I believe I'm pregnant.
1/23/13-- 1st Beta came back at 813 ; had to try my first "preggie pop" to combat my new "morning" sickness which came about 9:00pm and 11:00pm
1/24/13-- Nothing too exciting, more "morning" sickness.
1/25/13-- 2nd Beta came back at 1912, which made for a doubling time of 38 hours. Morning sickness now oddly gone?
1/26/13-- nada!

So, THIS WEEK:

The embryo(s) (looking kind of like a tadpole) is starting to form major organs (heart, kidney, liver, stomach) and systems (nervous, circulatory, digestive). Baby's presence in your uterus triggers production of hCG (the hormone detected by pregnancy tests)... which triggers production of other hormones like estrogen and progesterone... which trigger all those great symptoms you've probably been noticing!

Plans Plans Plans

Three Days until we transfer.

That means that it's Seven Days until I take my first home pregnancy test.

Last time I started the day after transfer. Not because I thought it would be positive (Wow... there'd of had to been 12 in there or something...) But because I wanted to see that first FAINT line.

I'll be testing 4dp5dt this time, or for those of you that don't know IVF lingo--- 4 days past 5 day transfer.  Equivalent to 9dpo. I'm not expecting a positive unless both of them take, really.  Not that early. I will start reallying "needing" lines the next day.

I got my flight itinerary tomorrow. I'm so excited. After the miscarriage, it seemed like it would never get here. Especially after it was postponed several times.

The meds this time seem to have really flown by. 

I'm packing tonight, and tomorrow will be my last day at work before transfer. I fly out Thursday morning. 

It's just got to work this time. It really does. After this.. they'll only have two left. I'm paranoid that they'll want to try another surro with those last two. I wouldn't blame them.... but I would hate it. 

I can't imagine starting over again. Matching with someone, going through Legal again..... bleh.

Eight Days

We'll be transferring two little embies in eight days.  I cannot tell you how much I'm hoping it will all work out this time. Miscarriage is a stressful, long and sad experience.

Today was the last of my three lining check/blood works before tranfer. My uterus seems better than ever and I am so FREAKING excited.

I promise to have  juicy blog soon, but for now. Hugs and Love xx