34 weeks!

I wont technically be 34 weeks until tomorrow but since I had an appointment today I decided to go ahead and do the 34 weeks update along with my appointment update.

So, yeah! 34 weeks! The doctor said that at this point if I go into labor, they wont try to stop it and the girls will be fine, just may possibly need a little time in the hospital to fatten up and get their blood sugar stabilized. It's exciting, and kind of scary, to be in this "could go at any time" phase! Ideally we all want to make it to 36 weeks. At that point the girls will more than likely be able to go right home after a couple days.

Both girls passed their biophysical profiles with perfect scores today. They both did all their body movements pretty quickly, and then finally did their breathing movements. At the beginning they both had hiccups at the same time too! It was fun to watch them on the screen. I felt bad for them though...the hiccups lasted for a bit! The u/s tech didn't measure them this week so I have no idea what their estimated weights are. She said its better to do them every other week but up to this point I have had them every week anyways. Ah well. I imagine they are at least 5 pounds each now, considering they were over 4.5 pounds last week. I know its all an estimation and we wont know for sure until they are born though!

I might have lost some of my mucus plug (yuck, sorry) earlier this week. I asked the doctor if that would mean I have dilated further and she said yes. But she also said at this point it doesn't matter so she didn't check my cervix. So I could be sitting at 3cm right now! I think 4cm is considered labor...but I dont know for a fact. I remember when I was induced with my boys, both times they broke my water once I got to 4cm. So we'll see! I am really quite nervous about my water breaking. I've never had it happen spontaneously before. I wonder if it will happen when I get up to pee, or if it will happen in the shower, on the toilet, at church!!??

Which reminds me...I've got to get my bag packed!! Its hard because most of what I'd pack is stuff I use every day. But I need to at least get it started. I think I might buy some new jammies to wear in the hospital. Most of my jammies are from Old Navy several years ago....so its time for some new ones!

My next appointment is next Friday, the 27th at 9:45am. And yet again, I will not get to see my doctor. I will be seeing a totally different doctor than even the one I've seen the last 2 weeks. That frustrates me. I have to have this appointment every week, but they can barely accomodate me! What happens if I need to set up one more after this one, and they have nothing available Wed, Thur, or Fri? I guess I'd have the one on Fri, and then come back on Mon or Tues, which seems like a total waste. I think maybe I'm overthinking this and should just not worry about it...LOL.

My BP was 120/60, gained one more pound (total weight gain = 36 pounds), and urine was clear of ketones and protein. Still no swelling, too. So all in all, a very good appointment!!

Here is the 34 week development update for the girls (and do remember that twins develop faster than singletons, so the girls are usually further ahead than these updates say):

• Baby acts completely like a newborn, with her eyes opened when awake and closed when sleeping. You may also find her settling into more of a routine for sleeping & awake times.
• She has learned to blink. She can also see more clearly when there is a bright light on your stomach and probably has the outline of all your organs memorized!
• Antibodies from your blood are being transferred to her. These immunities continue to build until birth. Then breast milk will add even more protection against disease.
• Baby may have already turned to a head-down position in preparation for birth. If she is your first baby, she may be settling into the pelvis with her head pressing against your cervix.
• Fingernails have reached the end of the fingertips now. She may scratch her face even before she is born!
• Your little one's length is 17.7 inches (45cm) and weight is 4.7 pounds (2146 g).

And here is my belly, which never ceases to amaze me with its ability to get bigger and bigger, week after week! LOL. It appears to be a bit lower as well, as now I have a little bit hanging down over my pants in the front, which I didn't have last week. PS - say hi to Quinn, peeking in on the side!

Another belly shot

On a messageboard I post on they have weekly photography challenges. They're just meant to be fun, nothing competitive or serious. This past week's was 'self portrait' and you could interpret it any way you want. Well I decided that I would do a nice frontal belly shot with my good camera. So here it is. It has been resized, softened, and had about 1/4 inch cropped off the top so my bra wouldn't show, but other than that it is unedited.



I took it today (33w2d) with my Nikon D40. Here are the specs of the shot:

50mm lens
Exposure: 1/100
f/1.8
ISO 1600

33 weeks!

Boy a few weeks ago I wasn't sure if I was going to make it this far! And here we are!


I had my weekly appointment yesterday and had a couple special people there with me! Yep, M&B! The first portion was of course the ultrasound. M&B really enjoyed seeing their girls on the screen again, although it was difficult to tell what was what. Last time they got to see the ultrasound, the girls were small (20 weeks) so it was easier to know what you were looking at. Baby A got a 6/8 on her biophysical profile and Baby B got a 8/8. The only thing we didnt see with Baby A was the practice breathing movements. Last week both girls did everything they were supposed to in a very short amount of time, but this time it took the whole 30 minutes per baby to get the breathing movements. Baby B waited until the very end to do hers, but Baby A wasn't playing along. The tech said that was the most common one to not see (the breathing movements) on the ultrasound though.

Baby A was measuring 4lb 7oz I think (I was distracted and dont remember the exact weight), and Baby B was all the way up to 4lbs 14oz. I just dont understand that, considering Baby B was 3lbs 12oz last week. But its all just a measurement estimate anyways. It just seems to be inaccurate compared to the previous measurements. So we'll see! M&B got a few ultrasound pictures, including a couple 3D facial shots of Baby A. Baby B was still turned in towards my back so we couldn't get any good shots of her. I think the one they got of her (regular black & white picture) was of her spine.

Then I had the NST. I had to go in there alone because its done in this room about the size of a closet. Well they hooked up Baby A and the Toco (contraction monitor) and I think they forgot about me. I was in there for a LONG time. I read a whole magazine! I started to get cranky! I texted M, who was out in the waiting room, to let her know that I was still stuck in the chair hooked up to Baby A. Not too much later, they came in and switched it over to Baby B. Both babies did great on those, and I was actually having a few contractions. I never really felt them....maybe one or two of them. But they werent enough to concern anyone.

Then the nurse checked my BP and it was 110/70. My weight went up by 2 pounds, and my urine analysis came back clean...no protein or ketones.

When it was time to see the doctor (not my usual doctor) I had M&B come back with me so they could talk with her. I know M was pretty nervous about Baby A not getting the 2 points for her practice breathing movements. The doctor said it wasnt that big of a deal yet and we'll recheck at my appointment next week. She also said my results for the GBS (Group B Strep) test came back positive. I wasnt very happy about that! I never had GBS with either of my boys so I dont know how the heck I have it now! Its a common bacteria found on the skin, the vagina, and anus (which they swabbed all of when I was in the hospital a couple weeks ago...ugh) and some people are just carriers of it without ever being sick or anything. I couldn't find anything definitive last night on the internet about how someone can go from not having it, to having it. But its fairly common and they will put some antibiotics in my IV when I'm in labor and that will keep the babies from possibly picking it up as they pass through the birth canal. But still, I'm pretty ticked that all the sudden I have GBS.

It was really cute when M&B were calling the girls by all the different names they had picked out, trying to see which names the girls responded to. I think they are getting closer to nailing down the names for sure, but only time will tell. And it looks like they will have plenty of time to decide! And no, I wont be telling you their names....thats up to Mom & Dad. ;)

Here's the girls' 33 week development:

• Amniotic fluid is at its highest level during your pregnancy.
• Baby's head size has increased 3/8ths of an inch due to rapid brain growth.
• Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in baby's brain will give her the skills she needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, she may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing.
• While most of her bones are hardening, her skull is quite pliable and not completely joined.
• The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier.
• Baby takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since she gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages her lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development).
• Your infant is now 17.2 inches (43.7cm) long and weighs 4.23 pounds (1918gm).

And here is my 33 week belly. I took it late in the day so I look a bit tired. M&B made us dinner last night (chicken enchiladas) and they were fantastic! So we got to spend quite a bit of time with them, which was really nice. We will hopefully see them again on Sunday. It's just such a relief that they are here and we have our 'middle of the night' labor plan and our daytime labor plan. Now we can all just relax and wait for the show to begin! :) (but hopefully not for a few more weeks!)

32 weeks!

32 weeks and doing great!

I had my appointment a bit ago and everything went perfectly! Baby A is still head down and weighs 4lbs 3oz, and Baby B is breech and weighs 3lbs 14oz. They both got 10 out of 10 on their Biophysical profile and NST. They did so well that the tests went pretty quickly. I had a different ultrasound tech this time and she explained everything we were looking at and she even flipped to 3D to try to get a couple pictures. Unfortunately Baby A had umbilical cord in her face and Baby B is turned facing into Baby A, so she was unsuccessful. I hope I get her for my next ultrasound next week...she said she would try again to get some 3D pictures since M&B will be there with me! While I was on the monitor for the NST, I didnt have a single contraction. I have had very few this week, so when my doctor saw the monitor and heard that I havent had many, she said she would stay out of my cervix today! So I didnt have a cervix check and it seems I didnt have a reason to anyways. Everything is going wonderfully. I am still on limited activity, but she said I can do a bit more as long as I'm not contracting. Yippee!

No weight gain recently. I am still sitting at 31 pounds gained, which is very good. I have very little to no swelling, and my BP was 110/60 which is nice and normal for me. All in all, a GREAT visit! I go back next Friday at 1:30. I wont see my doctor though, I will see the one who saw me in the hospital. I like her too though.


Oh and I should mention that I just LOVE my doctor. She said even if Baby B stays breech, I can still have a vaginal delivery if Baby A is head down. She said she is pretty "old school" and has no problem attempting to deliver Baby B breech if all conditions are favorable. She said the thing to worry about is if Baby B tries to come down shoulder first, in which case I would end up with a c-section anyways, which is the worst scenario - a vaginal AND a c-section is quite an undertaking! But she said that doesnt happen very often, and they could try and turn Baby B around too. So it looks like I'm going to get my vaginal delivery! :)


Well here is the 32 week update for the girls!

• Baby is up to 3.75 pounds now and is 16.7 inches (42.4cm) long.
• You might notice she's not moving around as much now. Don't worry! She is fine -- just running short on room. She still has plenty of growing to do though, believe it or not!
• All five senses are working. Your little one is fascinated and practicing testing these out as much as possible!
• Toenails are completely formed even though she may not be quite ready for a French manicure.
• Hair on your infant's head continues to grow in.
• Brain scans have shown that babies have periods of dream sleep (REM) starting around the eight month.

And my fabulous belly!

31 week belly picture!

Well I took a belly pic today since I dont ever want to skip a week! So here I am in my 31 week twin belly glory! :)

I have a few more stretchmarks this week, but nothing too bad. At least they arent that obvious from the picture! ;)

30 weeks!

Week 30 is upon us! I am officially in the home stretch! It has gone by so quickly, but I know that just like any other pregnancy, pretty soon it will start to slow down as I get bigger and more uncomfortable. I cant even imagine how excited M&B are getting!!

I had an appointment yesterday but it was boring and uneventful. I didn't even get to see my own doctor because she was out doing some kind of emergency surgery. So luckily they were able to squeeze me in with another doctor. They just did all the basic stuff...urine check, weight, blood pressure, fundal height (uterus measurement), and checked the babies' heartbeats. I start going every week now, and my next appointment is Wednesday which is right around the corner already. Each appointment (biophysical profile) will be approximately 90 minutes. I will start with an ultrasound, then a non-stress test, and then see the doctor which I assume will include cervix checks. I thought I was supposed to have a cervix check yesterday but the doctor said that the number of contractions I've been having aren't worrisome and not enough to change my cervix. I suppose we'll see for sure next week. I'm just glad I'll get to actually see my own doctor! I haven't gotten to see her in a long time. The doctor yesterday also gave me some Metamucil samples (pills, powder, and wafers) to try and see which form I like better. The iron pills they have me taking have caused some major constipation (ew, I know) and the Colace and tons of water aren't helping. Sooooo, hopefully I will have some relief soon!

Well, enough about me. Here's the 30 week update:

• Baby is nearly 3 pounds now (but I'm sure the girls are bigger than that!)
• Her head is getting larger to accommodate a period of rapid brain growth. Don't forget to continue to "teach" baby in the womb by exposing to music, literature, and simply talking to her.
• A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her. As she grows and fills your uterus, the amount of amniotic fluid will decrease. Funny, you certainly won't feel any lighter!
• She spends more and more time practicing opening and closing eyelids. Her eyes can move from side to side, following a light source. She may even reach out to touch the light.
• Early lanugo is beginning to disappear that served to protect your baby's skin from the water in the womb. Your little one's own hair may begin to appear.
• Toenails are entering their final growth stage.
• Bone marrow is now in charge of red blood cell production. These red blood cells will continue to service your child's body by transporting oxygen and removing the wastes (carbon monoxide and other gases).
• Baby has the capability now to produce tears -- yes, within the womb.
• By the end of this week, baby is now 15.7 inches (39.9cm) long and weighs 2.91 pounds (1319gm).

And here are my belly pics. I actually took them yesterday since I actually had clothes and makeup on! :)

29 weeks!

Well, I must be the most boring surrogate alive. I have nothing new to report. I'm sleeping better, I feel great, and I've almost outgrown the maternity shirts I bought a while back. Luckily the pants still have plenty of room...that means I'm growing only where I need to now and not in my thighs anymore! (maybe....haha)

Here's the 29 weeks update:

• Baby's head is in proportion with her body now. She appears more like a newborn each and every day!
• Fat continues to accumulate under the skin -- only now preparing for entering the *real world*.
• Your baby's brain can control primitive breathing and body temperatures.
• Her eyes can move in their sockets. Soon she will be able to follow a blinking light.
• Baby is increasingly sensitive to changes in light, sound, taste, and smell! Various studies show that baby may indicate preferences (or disdain) for particular tastes or odors at this stage
• She is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, she will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if she is performing somersaults for a circus act!
• Her length is now approximately 15.2 inches (38.6cm) and weight is 2.54 pounds (1153gm)

And here is my weekly belly shot! Maybe I will do another one with my face in it at some point. I dont wear makeup unless I am going somewhere, and I refuse to put a picture of myself without makeup on the internet!

• 

Next appointment is Thursday, February 19th at 3pm!

28 weeks!

I am now 7 months pregnant and in the 3rd trimester! I've been carrying and nurturing these little girls since August 13th. It seems like it is going so fast!

I am very sad that I have to miss the surrogate support group meeting this time around. It's tomorrow in Chicago. This meeting is going to be huge! There will be 5 or 6 birth stories, and then all the other ladies who are pregnant or about to transfer, and the new girls as well. I dont get to go to another meeting until the girls are born, and then I will be giving my birth story. I miss everyone. The last 2 meetings I've gotten to go to were here in MN and had hardly anyone there. These meetings are so important and are really helpful for all the surrogates no matter which phase they are in. I cant wait to hear all about it. :)

Not much of any update from me today, since I updated on Wednesday about my appointment and everything. So I will jump into the good stuff: the girls' development.

• Eyebrows and eyelashes are now very noticeable!
• Hair on baby's head is growing longer. Some babies are born with almost none at all, while others appear to be ready for their first haircut!
• Eyes are completely formed now. Quite a view from inside!
• Your baby's body is getting plump and rounded. Most of that increase is muscle tissue and bone. Fat will be added during the third trimester.
• Muscle tone is improving. Preparation for the Olympics feels like it is taking place in your womb!
• Lungs are capable of breathing now (but baby would still struggle and require medical attention if born now)
• Talk to baby often, reading stories, singing songs and more. She can recognize your voice now and will often calm to it later on!
• Your baby weighs in now at 2.2 pounds (1005gm) and is 14.8 inches (37.6cm).

Well it looks like the girls are already ahead of the curve on weight! So now they'll just continue to put on weight and grow a few more inches.

Here's my belly today:

27 weeks!

Hello 27 weeks! We're almost into the 3rd trimester now....the final stretch!

I'd like to say things have been uneventful around here, but that wouldn't be accurate this week. Tuesday I guess I ate some spaghetti that had been sitting on the counter too long. I know I put it in the fridge Sunday afternoon, but when I went to eat it Tuesday it was already on the counter...I just figured that either I did it and forgot that I did, or that Quinn did since he likes to play in the fridge. The spaghetti still felt cool so I went ahead and heated it up and ate it. Wednesday night I started having horrible stomach cramps and nausea. My first thought was that I was going into premature labor, but the pain seemed to be towards the top of my belly only. I had no idea what was happening so I called the afterhours line at my doctor's office and they told me to go to the hospital's Maternal Assessment Center to make sure. I had to go to a hospital that was 45 minutes away in downtown Minneapolis because the hospital I am using isnt equipped to handle babies born before 32 weeks. I'm glad I know that now! But they wanted me to head downtown just in case. So I got there and they were able to determine fairly quickly that what I was feeling were not contractions. I was hooked up to the monitor and they found both girls' heartrates and they remained perfectly fine throughout the whole ordeal. The contraction monitor wasnt picking up much at first, but once I got up to use the restroom (diarrhea) and came back to my room and threw up in the trash can, I started to get dehydrated and I had some regular contractions. They weren't strong or anything (measuring as high as 26...nowhere near the 70-80 range as when I was in labor with the boys) but they were coming in regular intervals so they put me on an IV to hydrate me. They decided to go ahead and run the FFN test, which tests for a certain protein on your cervix that predicts pretty accurately if you will go into labor within the next 2 weeks. It came back negative, and my cervix was high, firm, and completely closed. All very good signs! So after I was on the IV for a couple hours, the little contractions slowed considerably and then I was discharged. I continued to throw up in a bucket in the car on the way home though. And all day Thursday I felt weak and tired and still couldnt really eat much. I basically drank water and Gatorade all day to make sure I had enough fluids. I slept really well last night...I think I only woke up once to use the restroom and refill my water cup. And today I feel pretty much 100% better. I've been able to eat and drink like normal.

The girls are doing fabulous. They didnt give me an ultrasound at the hospital so I dont know how they are laying but I will find that out at my appointment next week. I can tell that they both favor the right side of my belly, because sometimes it looks all distorted towards the right. I'm getting to the phase of "Guess that body part" so that will be fun!

My groin pain has subsided again. I think with each little growth spurt the girls & my belly have, it loosens up my pelvic ligaments and thats what causes the pain. Sometimes its excruciating to walk or even just to lift a foot to put on pants. But it comes and goes and it seems like it coincides with growth. So its just something I have to deal with I guess. Its not permanent, so no big deal!

Here's the girls' development for 27 weeks:

• Your little one's brain continues its rapid growth. Don't forget to share music, conversation, and even books with baby!
• Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. Baby's hearing continues to develop, he or she may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's.
• Lungs continue to grow and prepare for functioning outside of the womb. Each day in the womb greatly increases survival rates!
• She also continues to take small breaths and although she's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when she's born.
• Eyelids are now open more. Baby can distinguish between light and dark.
• Retinas have formed.
• Baby will grow over an inch this week alone! You may suspect this phenomenal growth rate repeats in the preteen years!
• Average size is now 14.4 inches (36.6cm) and 1.9 pound (875gm).
  

And here is my belly picture from today. Next week I will hopefully have ultrasound pictures to post too. :)

26 weeks!

Another week has gone by already! Not much to report...just looking forward to my next appointment on Feb 3rd! Well I am not looking forward to the glucose tolerance test, but I suppose I'll just have to deal with it!

M&B sent me a zip file full of music that they will be playing for the girls as they grow, along with some files of them reading some classic childrens' stories. I made a playlist with a story. then 3-4 songs, a story, 3-4 songs, etc. So yesterday I started putting headphones on my belly so the girls can hear this music and the voices and they will be more familiar with them once they are born. Yesterday right after I put the headphones on my belly and hit play on my laptop, the girls started kicking like crazy. It was B's voice reading a story to them. I think it probably startled them but I thought it was cute. As I type this right now, I've got the playlist going. This was actually M&B's idea and I thought it was an awesome one! I've included a picture of me sitting in the recliner with headphones on my belly down with my belly pics. :)

Well here's the 26 week developmental update:

• Your baby may weigh about two pounds now (average is 1.7 pound, 760gm) and is 14 inches (35.6cm) in length
• To support the fetus's growing body, the spine is getting stronger and more supple.
• Though no longer than the span of the average adult hand, it is now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings, and some 1,000 ligaments.
• Air sacs in the lungs form now.
• Lungs begin to secrete a greasy substance called surfactant. Without surfactant the fetal lungs would stick together and couldn't expand after the baby is born.
• Although they've been sealed shut for the last few months, your baby's eyes are opening and beginning to blink this week. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first 6 months of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes.
• Retinas begin to form.
• Brain wave activity for hearing and sight begins to be detectable.
• Fetal brain scans show response to touch.
• If you shine a light on your abdomen, your baby will turn her head, which according to researchers, means his optic nerve is working.

And here are my new belly pics:

25 weeks!

It's time for my weekly update!

Everything is still going smoothly. I had a couple of weeks where I felt great, but now I'm sore again. It seems to be lightening up again though. I guess it's just one of those things that I'll have to get used to. It feels like as the girls get bigger they are putting more pressure on my pelvis, which takes my pelvis a week or two to get used to. No biggie...I suppose it could always be worse! :)

Here's the 25 week development update:

• The structures of the spine begin to form -- joints, ligaments and rings. These will protect the all important spinal cord which serves as the information transmitter for your child's body.
• Blood vessels of the lungs develop.
• Baby's nostrils begin to open. There is a study out of Belfast that suggests babies at this stage have the capability of scent preferences!
• The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. When baby is rooting for food later on, these will be valuable!
• Her swallowing reflexes are developing.
• Dexterity is improving. Your baby can make a fist and would clasp objects placed in palm.
• Your child has now obtained an approximate length of 13.6 inches (34.6cm) and weighs 1.46 pound (660gm).

Another site I read for updates says babies at this stage are 2 pounds already. So I'm sure the girls are somewhere between the two.

I dont know if anyone noticed, but I added more Important Dates to my blog, over on the right side. I start the 3rd trimester on February 6th! That's not very far away! We're just sailing through this thing! It has been wonderful! :)

Now here are my new belly pics. I'm posting one with my shirt covering my belly, my bare belly, and then a front shot of my bare belly. I think the frontal shots are awkward looking, but I figure I could post one here and there.

24 weeks!

24 weeks today and nothing new to report, at least where I am concerned! LOL! I still feel great. In fact the more I do, the better I feel. Too bad its January in Minnesota and I cant really get out and do much! I had a playdate with a friend & her son this morning and it was so nice to get out of the house and actually have some adult interaction! The boys were very well behaved too, so they made it easy for me. So I will actually be wearing clothes in my belly pics today instead of my jammies. I even took one with my belly bared since you can see it better that way. It's amazing how slimming my black shirt is...my belly looks much smaller when I wear it!

First up, the girls' 24 week update:

• Bring on the bulk! Baby gains about 6 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs.
• Her body begins to fill out with her appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn.
• Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing her distaste.
• Little creases have appeared on her palms. The muscular coordination of her hands has improved as she sucks her thumb.
• Over the next seven days the sweat glands will be forming in the skin.
• Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
• This week your baby is officially considered viable.
• Baby weighs 1.3 pound (600gm) and is 11.8 inches (30cm) long -- almost the length of a ruler!

And here they are, kinda! ;)

21 weeks!

21 weeks! Nothing new here. Just feeling the girls kick and squirm more and more, as they get stronger! Last night Baby A had the hiccups for a few minutes. I kept feeling "thump....thump...thump". Too cute. I have gotten bigger over the past week, I think. I definitely feel like it, and some of my pre-preg t-shirts dont even come close to fitting over my belly anymore! I have a new belly pic that I will post at the bottom of this post so you can see for yourselves. I think this may be the last belly pic in which I can wear my OSU shirt. Time to retire it, I suppose! Although I've heard that some of my readers will be glad that it goes away! ;)

Here's whats going on with the girls this week:

• White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense system. They help fight infections and diseases.
• Your little one's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque.
• Your infant's tongue is fully formed. If you were able to peek you might catch your son or daughter practicing giving you a raspberry!
• If your baby is a girl, her womb and vagina are formed. Unlike males, females have a limited supply of eggs in their lifetime. At this point your daughter will have 6 million eggs. This amount decreases to approximately one million by birth.
• Baby swallows more this week. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. This is good practice for his digestive system!
• Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that baby sets her internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! Your eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as her signals.
• Length is now measured crown to heel.
• Baby measures about 10.51 inches (26.7cm) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces (360g).

So they each weigh almost a pound, and are almost a foot long! I can really tell! LOL

Here's my big ol belly:

Next appointment is Jan 5th. :)

18 weeks!

Wow it feels like I just updated...because I did! ;)

Nothing new to report. We had a great Thanksgiving with our family and had lots of good food. I had turkey with gravy, sweet potato casserole, corn casserole, stuffing, homemade rolls, green been casserole, mashed potatoes, and some truffle pie for dessert. Probably some other things I cant remember as well. We have some family friends in town from Amsterdam so it was nice visiting with them. They brought lots of chocolates and Belgian treats, and we snacked on them before dinner. Yesterday was Chris' little brother's birthday and he turned 16. So we are all going out to eat tonight...at the Mall of America...on Black Friday! It should be crazy!

I got up at 5am and went to Target this morning. There was a line all the way down the front of the building and around the side. It was crazy! I wasnt even there to get any of the 'special deals' that everyone else was after, except for the Nintendo DS with new Super Mario Brothers game, for Ian for his birthday. I got all my shopping done this morning! But of course my back hurts now so I am relaxing with my feet up until we go to dinner tonight.

Here's what the babies are up to this week:

• Vernix (a white cheese-like protective material) forms on baby's skin with the lanugo (soft, lightly pigmented hair covering the body and limbs); both serving to protect your baby's skin during the months in water.
• Your placenta continues to grow and nourish the baby. Don't forget those prenatal vitamins!
• Tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to form in lungs. He'll be putting these lungs to good use in just a few months!
• Her vocal chords are formed. She goes through the motions of crying but without air she doesn't make a sound.
• Features of baby's heart, including ventricles and chambers, should be visible during an ultrasound.
• Your baby measures about 5.59 inches (14.2cm) this week and weighs about 6.7 ounces (190gm).

And here is my fabulous belly:

16 weeks!

Here's whats going on with the babies at 16 weeks! Look, twins!

• Fat begins to form underneath skin, providing baby with insulation for the coming months.
• Did you know that both baby and placenta are now about the same size?
• Your little one has reached 4.57 inches (11.6cm) and approximately 3.53 ounces (100gm).
• His head and neck are held straighter now.
• This is a week of "mights!" You might hear the tiny thumps of his heartbeat with an external monitor now.
• The genitals are developed sufficiently that an experienced sonographer might be able to determine if your baby is a boy or a girl.
• Her heart is pumping as much as 6 gallons of blood a day and beats at a rate about double your heart rate.
• If you could take a peek inside, you would witness your child's reflexes in action! (Sucking, swallowing and blinking are now evident.) She is probably even hiccuping even though you don't feel it yet!
• Your baby has learned to breathe! This is apparent from the regular movements of his chest. Isn't it amazing that he is able to breathe "underwater," inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid? These actions help the lungs to develop and grow.

For some reason 16 weeks feels like such a milestone to me. Maybe because it signals "4 months" or maybe because its just a few weeks away from the halfway point. I'm not sure...it just feels so neat to be 16 weeks along right now. I guess technically I am almost at the halfway point anyways since I know I wont go to 40 weeks!

I am feeling great. I mean it...really really great. I'm just barely still able to sleep on my stomach, but with one leg hiked up to roll me a little bit to the side. Pretty soon it wont be possible at all! I will definitely have to buy a pregnancy pillow to curl up around so I can sleep comfortably. I've also heard about something called the Belly Bra which is a tanktop/support garment that has an elastic band built in to help lift your belly. It takes the pressure off of your lower back. I wanted one when I was pregnant with Quinn, but I think this time it will be a necessity.

I already have pregnant posture, too. I dont think I am waddling yet though. Whenever I get up from the couch I have to brace myself and get up carefully, otherwise it feels like I'm pulling a muscle in my abdomen. Chris thinks its funny that I'm having to do it already.

Here's my new belly picture. I think I look smaller than I did 2 weeks ago, but I think its all in the posture. I even wore the same shirt for comparison.

So everything is going great! I did have a little bit of a freakout due to some bleeding, but it ended up being Chris' fault, and very common...so I'll leave it at that. ;) The bleeding didnt last long at all, and my doctor told me what signs to watch out for that would mean I would need to come in and be seen...such as clots, cramping, or contractions. But I've had none of that, and I feel great so there's nothing to worry about.

Can you believe it's getting so close to Thanksgiving already? I know I've got a lot to be thankful about this year and I cant wait to spend the day with my family. :)

14 weeks!

Well here we are at 14 weeks already! The second trimester has been all I'd hoped it would be. I still cant eat certain things, but the nausea is mostly gone and I've learned a little trick for dealing with the tiredness: If I let myself lay on the couch and be lazy in the morning, I'm ruined for the whole day. If I get up and do things and keep myself awake, then by afternoon I am good to go. So no more being lazy on the couch in the mornings!

I keep saying how I will need maternity clothes soon, but its kind of sad to think I need them already. But I am carrying TWO babies, not one, so its to be expected. I want to go to Gap Maternity but the only Gap around here with maternity clothes is in Mall of America. And I try to avoid that place like the plague! I'm gonna have to give in soon though.

Well here's what's going on with the babies' development at 14 weeks:

• Thyroid gland has matured and baby begins producing hormones which will be used throughout his or her life.
• In boys, the prostate gland develops
• In girls, the ovaries move from the abdomen to the pelvis
• Little one may have learned to suck his thumb by this point!
• The bones are getting harder and stronger by the day!
• Baby's skin is very transparent still
• Lanugo (very fine hair) covers the baby's body and will continue to grow until 26 weeks gestational age - Generally this will be shed prior to birth. Its purpose is to help protect baby's skin while in all that water!
• Baby is 3.42 inches (8.7cm) long (the size of a lemon) and weighs about 1.52 ounces (43 grams) - approximately the weight of a letter!

And, as promised, here is my big belly. I decided to spare you all from having to see my pale, fleshy skin this time. ;) My pants are as low as I can get them so that they will still fit, so its making my behind look enormous. Its big but its not THAT big. haha

I will have another doctor appointment in a couple weeks. I am going to beg and plead to get an ultrasound just so we can check in on both babies and see how they're doing. I dont know if they will allow it or not, but it cant hurt to try!

Nothing else is really going on. Today is Halloween and Chris will be taking the boys around from house to house while I stay home and hand out candy to whoever stops by our house. Ian is going to be Venom (the black Spider man) again this year, and Quinn is going to be Batman. Chris and I wont be dressing up like we did last year since we wont be going anywhere due to lack of babysitter. Maybe next year!

Dont forget to vote on Tuesday! :)

12 weeks!

Well, depending on what website you look at, I am either entering the 2nd trimester or still a week away from it. The 2nd trimester is supposed to be the magical, uneventful trimester and I am looking forward to it! Here's what's going on in this uterus of mine this week:

• Vocal cords begin to form
• Those precious eyes begin to move closer together
• Ears shift to their normal place on the side of the head
• Intestines move farther in to your child's body
• His or her liver begins to function - Responsible for cleansing the blood, storing nutrients, and providing needed chemicals, this is an important event!
• The pancreas begins to produce insulin
• Guess what? Baby's average size is now at a whopping length: 2.13 inches (5.4cm) and weight: 0.49 ounce (14gm)

So there are two plums in there this week that have made my belly look like this: (keep in mind I have only gained 2 pounds...the jeans I'm wearing are getting snug and they used to fall off of me)

Tomorrow I will put up a gender poll. I'm so anxious for the ultrasound on December 8th! But I know that nobody is more anxious than M&B are! Ian has decided that the babies are a boy and a girl. Whenever he refers to them, he now says "the little boy and girl" in my belly. So...is he right? We shall see!

10 weeks!

Well I am now into the double digits! 10 weeks pregnant today! Here's what's going on with the babies at 10 weeks:

• Baby is now called a fetus in "medical terms".
• The most critical part of your infant's development is complete. Now you are headed into a period of rapid growth.
• While a bit strange to envision, baby's head is now about half its length - Soon the rest of the body's growth will catch up but this area is prepared to keep up with the rapid brain development!
• Eyelids fuse shut and irises begin to develop - Eye color is also determined by this point.
• Placenta begins to function this week or next - The placenta is the organ responsible for both the provision of nutrients along with the removal of waste to keep baby growing strong!
• Baby will be about 1.22 inch long (3.1cm) and weigh 0.14 ounce (4gm) at the end of this week

And here is my belly pic for 10 weeks. I'm rapidly outgrowing my clothes! My uterus is roughly the size of a 16 week singleton pregnancy.

And the babies are about the size of prunes (1.2 in long)

Tomorrow is our quarterly surrogate support meeting here in Minneapolis. I cant wait to see everyone again and meet the new girls. I will also get to officially announce my twin pregnancy. Some of the girls already know but it will still be exciting to announce it. I will also get to see my counselors again and I just love them. Ooh...and we get free dinner! :)

I'm doing well. Same old, same old! I need to go grocery shopping right now, but having to think of meals to make and write out a list is making me feel... 'ugh'. I have a love/hate relationship with food still. Come on second trimester! :)

OH - and I stop progesterone this week, thanks to the placentas kicking in and providing all the progesterone these babies need! No more nightly shots!

8 weeks pregnant!

8 weeks 8 weeks 8 weeks! I'm 2/3 of the way through the first trimester! haha

Well I have actually been feeling better the last few days. I still have some nausea, but I have a little more energy and I've been able to eat a bit better too. It really helps that Chris has been absolutely wonderful and has been helping me out some. He has made dinner a few times, he has let me sleep in more in the last few weeks then he has in the last few years...LOL...and he isnt nagging me about the house being a disaster. I do need to finally do some laundry today before Chris runs out of clothes to wear to work!

Here is what's going on in my belly this week: (but x's 2!)

• Cartilage and bones begin to form - At the end of this week baby will have already completed 1/5th of the journey 'til his birthday!
• The basic structure of the eye is well underway - The position is more "newborn" like already!
• The tongue begins to develop
• Intestines move out of the umbilical cord into the abdomen.
• Body grows and makes room - Two months along and this little one is growing inside and out by leaps and bounds!
• The fingers and toes have appeared but are webbed and short
• Baby's length (crown to rump) is 0.61 inch (1.6cm) and weight is 0.04 ounce (1gm)

I have finally put on a couple pounds now that I am able to eat better. I am definitely bigger than I was in my 6 week belly picture! Here's my new belly pic:

Its time to start buying bigger clothes. I'm able to mostly live in my jammies right now since I dont really go anywhere, but soon I will need something for going to church, grocery shopping, dr appointments, etc. I think the people at the gym are probably thinking "Wow, even though she exercises 3 times a week she's getting bigger!" HAHA if they only knew! At some point I may have to stop exercising. I dont do anything high intensity...just some walking on the treadmill and some elliptical machine. But carrying twins is a totally different ballgame from carrying one baby, so I know I will have to make some lifestyle modifications. Which is perfectly fine. Anything I can do to keep the babies healthy and strong, I will do it!

I am excited for my next ultrasound on the 26th. Any opportunity to check on the babies and make sure everything is ok is fine by me! Plus I will get some more pictures to send to M&B. I bet they've been showing their pictures to everyone ever since they got back home!

I will be putting up a gender poll once I reach the second trimester. I know M&B are curious to see what you all think we've got in there. Since 80% of you were correct about me carrying twins, I cant wait to see what the majority votes for with the genders! October 18th is the day I will set up that poll. So watch for it! :)

6 weeks pregnant!

Today I am officially 6 weeks pregnant so its time for a pregnancy update.

I am still exhausted and now a touch of morning sickness has crept up on me. For a good hour last night I was so nauseated I couldn't do anything but lay down on the couch. And this morning I have a bit of queasiness, though nothing like it was last night. Hopefully this little trend goes away quickly. I've got kids to play with, meals to cook, and a house to clean! LOL

Here is the baby's development at 6 weeks:

• The arms and legs continue to develop - These limbs are stretching out more and more. Later on you will be feeling those feet and elbows up close and personal right in your bladder!
• Brain is growing well - Did you know that over the course of the remaining months that your baby's brain will develop over 100 billion neurons? This is just the beginning!
• Lenses of the eyes appear - If you could catch a glimpse inside, you would notice your baby's appearance becoming increasing like a newborn's.
• Nostrils are formed - The position of the nose seems to shift into its proper place as well. Soon, the nerves running from the nose to the brain appear.
• Intestines grow - Initially these are actually located outside the baby's body within the umbilical cord.
• Pancreas - Your baby is now equipped to deal with digestive enzymes and take on processing the insulin and glucagons the body needs to function.
  

Since I am 6 weeks pregnant today, that means only another 4-6 weeks of injections! It will be nice when all of that is over. I know my bottom will sure appreciate it! And I will start the second trimester on October 18th. Right smack in the middle of fall....my favorite time of the year. I cant wait to go to an apple orchard and buy big bags of Honeycrisp apples. I am craving them so bad but they aren't in season yet. They are seriously the best apples ever...and they were developed here at the University of Minnesota! And of course we will have to pick a pumpkin from the patch to decorate and put out on the front porch. I cant wait to see how many kids go Trick or Treating in this neighborhood. I think I will have Chris take the boys out while I stay in and give out candy. Oh I love fall so much.

And now I leave you with my first belly picture.
Right now it's mostly bloat, but hey I've gotta start somewhere.