Let's play a game...

Called Catch Up!!!   I have a feeling this game will become pretty popular over the next few months.
Overtime at my job has picked up, so by the time I get home, get situated and you know - do that mom thing...I. AM. BEAT!!

Soooo...what's new with these babies!!!???

Since I last posted we had two appointments. My first appt was with my regular OB, Lancaster Physicians for Women. I got to meet my first of 3 doctors. Dr. Jones.

Here is how that morning began. I woke up around 6 - PUKING! Really?? No way am i NOW starting morning sickness. I ate breakfast, puked it up. I just felt so so bad. Earlier that week Riley was home from school sick for 2 days but i did not relate the two at the time. Tim had decided to come to the appt with me, mom was also meeting us there. He was then going to take me to work and pick me up after work so we could go out on a date and celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. I was pretty excited at him coming along because I normally don't ask or assume he will, given the circumstance. But he is completely supportive of me, so I shouldn't expect any less <3

On the way to our appt, we stopped at Bob Evans for breakfast. I just ate some fruit ontop of a crepe and it seemed to settle ok. Got to our appt and had an exam, all was good under the hood.

So we talked...the doctor got to know mom and then she gave me a prescription for Zofran, assuming this sickness was morning sickness as well. She said that really with twins, it could just be starting late.
We also then discussed the VBAC option over the csection. She made it pretty clear that we really should just schedule the csection. There were more cons than pros..and of course we want to do whats best. So it sounds like at 37 weeks which will be the end of November, we will be welcoming these little boys, girls, boy and girl..hmmmmm who knows!!!

After leaving the appt, Tim was supposed to take me to work. But i just felt way too bad for that. We took a run to the mall so that I could pick up a few pairs of maternity jeans, stopped at Rite Aid so I could get my zofran, and then home to sleep. Woke up and unfortunately the zofran did not work.
At this point I just knew this was not morning sickness. I had a bug. Sure enough, the next day I felt a bit better but i wasn't completely better until that next sunday afternoon. All i know is, thank you thank you for not being morning sickness because if I had to live like this everyday for the next few weeks or whatever - i would NOT be happy. Bless those mama's that do have to go thru this, i have no clue how you do it!

This is my catch up for tonight. I have another appt and some pics - i will do this tomorrow. My eyes are way too heavy for this now.  Good night

Final Graduation Day!!!

So today was an exciting day.

Last Wednesday morning we had another ultrasound and got to see the little beans. They are both just where they should be and heartbeats are strong. Baby A was 168 and baby B was 171.
After this appt, we graduated from the fertility clinic. 2 years strong and we are finally moving on. Of course it was sad..not only have i grown to know these doctors and staff, Mom has actually been going here for almost 5 years. So she was way ahead of me on those relationships. The clinic was actually making jokes (which i dont think mom found too funny) but that because of how much money she spent there they are going to have a baby room in the clinic dedicated to her and the twins.

Here is a picture of our little celebrities... The internal ultrasounds for me are not the clearest because of the way my uterus lies - but u can at least see how much they've grown.

So this brings me back to today. TODAY was my last day of all of the fertility meds. No more injections, no more remembering to take 2 pills, 3 times a day. All i have to remember now are my vitamins. I think Tim may be a bit upset that he no longer gets that daily view of my tush but arrangements could be made ;)

And also TODAY...i had my first appointment with my new OB office. When i was pregnant with Riley, I had the BEST doctor. I love her to this day. In the middle of my pregnancy with Ayden, she turned into just a GYN office. The OB was taking her away from her family too much and she had to make changes. I was so bummed by this because I knew that she was one of the few small, one on one baby doctors which is what i strived for. So to finish out Aydens birth, we went to OBGYN of Lancaster and i did. not. like. it! Every appt I saw someone different and they didnt know jack about me. I barely even knew the doctor delivering Ayden. The only thing i did like, is that Rileys doctor delivered at The Heart of Lancaster Hospital in Lititz - Aydens doctors delivered at The Womens and Babies. I really wanted an experience at the W&B hospital because its where everyone i know has their babies. Well, since Ayden was born - OBGYN moved to now also delivering at the Heart of Lancaster. (lost yet?)  So now i had to make a decision. Lititz was just too far for Mom and Dad to have to travel from their house. So i went on a search for a W&B office.

I have heard about the Lancaster Physicians for Women. I heard how there are only 3 doctors, all women and how personal and down to earth they were. They took my insurance, so it seemed like an easy decision to me.

I met with a nurse today. Just to go over the do's and don'ts of pregnancy, answering questions, giving me tips on pregnancy with multiples, insurance info, etc...

She actually told me that I am their first surrogate. Which was really shocking to me, but i think its pretty cool. Maybe I'll get some extra special attention?? ( a girl can try, right?)

I had a few things I needed to now talk to Mom about. One of them being if she wanted to do the first trimester testing, It basically checks for Down Syndrome and a few other things. I never had this test done with my own kids and after talking to mom, i am pretty sure she isn't going to either.

I also have to make the decision if i want to try a VBAC delivery (vaginal birth after c section) or just go right to the c section. I have to sit down and educate myself on the pro's and con's since I have never been put in this position before. I am hoping as we go along, the doctors will steer me in the right direction. I really really REALLY want to do vaginal, but of course just whatever is best for the babies is what we will do. Our next appointment which is with a doctor is this friday.

Riley and Ayden now know. They are the best kids! They think that this is the coolest thing and at any given chance, do not hesitate to tell everyone in our path that mommy is having babies for someone else. They did want to name the babies and even after telling them that the babies mommy and daddy will do that, they still did give them their own names. Baby A has been named Alvin, by Ayden and baby B has been named Emily by Riley. They kiss them, they read to them, they talk to them and they draw family pictures now that include my belly which is about the size of 10 beach balls already in these pics. In a few months I will have to have my own page seperate from the rest of the family. I think we did a great job of introducing this to them and educating them in a manor that is age appropriate. I am 10 weeks today and that means i should have only about 2 weeks for my energy to come back. Please Please PLEASE...i need you Mr. Energy!!!

 

               

I am...

Always Hungry!!!  Man...I know there are two in there but gheesh!! Thankfully still no sickness and my urge to eat is easily satisfied with fruit. I feel like all i am doing is eating something though.

I even have a little bump starting already. Honestly i've still had a leftover bump from my own kids - if that's even legal to still claim 4 years later. But my jeans are getting harder to button and since I sit all day - i think i will be moving on to the good ole elastic bands very soon.

Wednesday morning we have another ultrasound. Can't wait to see these little beans!!!

Ultrasound!!!

So after what feels like forever (was only a day and a half) of not being able to get on my blogger account..i FINALLY get to share our news. Especially since we haven't really publicly told alot of people that we were even pregnant yet..it's been killing me to not vent it out on here.

But first...i gotta share from the beginning of the day.

Wednesday April 25, 2012 - our ultrasound was set for 8:30am. I was having such a hard time
sleeping thinking about how excited i knew mom was and of course how anxious I was. But i finally remember last looking at the tv around midnight. Around 2:30am I woke up to my becoming normal and frequent mid sleep full bladder. As i walked to the bathroom I started to feel that it was kind of "wet" down there...almost like i had gotten my period. So i started walking faster. I pee'd and wiped...and my heart dropped. I was bleeding. It wasn't alot and it wasnt flowing like a period. It was just one or two wipes of spotting and thats it. I felt perfectly fine, no cramping, no pain, nothing. I didnt feel that it was an emergency since like i said, it was little and stopped. I went back to bed..not to sleep immediately because of course i was worried and was having so many crazy thoughts. I probably went back to the bathroom and checked about 10 times before i finally was able to fall asleep.
I woek up before my alarm...which NEVER happens and pretty much ran to the bathroom where there was a little more spotting again. I was so worried now. I was having such a hard time getting dressed and focusing on Riley and Ayden. Tim walked in (he works 3rd shift) and looked at me and said "whats wrong" - i didnt realize it showed that much, for him to notice something was wrong..lol
But of course, i immediately started crying and told him. He did some checking online and assured me that everything he was reading said some spotting is normal in the first few weeks. I finished getting dressed and left to go to the clinic.

I arrive, mom arrives. I tell her. Of course I didnt want her to find out at the same time I was telling the doctor. I could tell she was instantly scared, worried, and probably many things running through her head. Just then they called us back. As soon as i told the dr (well, im pretty sure mom told them first) they werent even concerned. I think that helped her and I both relax a bit.

Now it was time. The time mom has been waiting for .. and after my morning - i just was ready for some reassurance. The ultrasound lady said before we get to the fun stuff we have to do measurements. So she measured ovaries and cervix...Then finally over to my good ole uterus. And what do we see??

                         
Not one..but TWO healthy, strong, beautiful fluttering hearbeats! Of course they are only bean size right now so pics are hard. But here they are. Meet two little babies that will be known as Baby A and Baby B for the next 8 months.

The reason I had the spotting is normal with multiples. I have a small bleed in between the sacks that will clear up eventually. I haven't had any spotting since yesterday morning, but she said some more may be possible.

As you can imagine - mom is OVER THE MOON!!! She is a bit shocked, i do believe. We made little jokes about multiples and we were calling them babies..but i think deep down she only had herself believing there was just one. She talked on and on and on about how much fun it was going to be to buy 2 of everything. (better her than me)  I'm so excited to cuddle on these little love bugs when they arrive though, i must admit!

For now...I will be enjoying the extra attention from Tim :)   and ice cream!

We still haven't told Riley and Ayden yet. We have another ultrasound slated for May 9th and after that is when we're going to have to because I am having a hard time keeping this from Riley.
She is only 6, yes. But we have been talking over and over about surrogacy to her. Plus she recently watched a reality show with me about a husband and wife that just got pregnany using a surrogate that she was totally involved in. Once we put this all together for her - she is going to be excited. Of course, im sure when the babies come and we don't take them home, I'm sure she will be a little sad - but we will prepare her in many ways and do our best to be sure that neither of them are too sad. Plus we live so close that I am sure we will be visiting alot.

Sleep...Sleep...All I want to do is SLEEP!!!!

Oh the joys of the first trimester! Although, I haven't been sick at all - most days I feel like i got ran over by a truck. I sit all day at work and am connected to a headset..so i can't move far. It is HARD to stay awake as your customers suddenly start to sound like Snoopy..."wah, wah, wah, wah waaaah"

I love my evenings after the kids go to bed to work on projects but these days they are just piling up. Someday i will have energy again.

We had our first prenatal appt on Aptil 16th. Mom and I went. She even got to witness an exam - how fun for her!!! She's going to be scoping it out down there soon enough so might of as well let the fun begin.

Everything is going great and we have an ultrasound on Wednesday. I just sent mom a text with a picture of me rubbing my belly and said "we love you mommy"   Until we know for sure..we call them babies since we put 2 eggs in. Most likely it is just one, but hey - u just never know.

Since I've Posted...

We have had 2 beta's (bloodwork) -

I haven't really had anyone sit down with me to tell me what these numbers mean, but from the doctors excitement and from my fellow surro sisters on facebook - i know their good.

My first level was 462 and then my second, 4 days later,  was 2400. So we definately have a pregnancy and boy do i feel it!!!

I'm so exhausted all the time, which is always my worst part of being pregnant. I've never had morning sickness or really get nauseous - thankfully it seems to be the same way so far this time around as well.

We're still very early.. and Mom is really still on edge. Until we hear a heartbeat, I don't think this will be reality for her. But i feel great...i just really feel like this is it and come on or near 12-12-12 we will have a happy., healthy little baby/babies!! 

Isn't that an awesome due date???

We go Monday for our first prenatal appt at the fertility clinic - i'm hoping we get to do an ultrasound to peek in on whats going on in there. I shall update afterwards.

Goodnight all.

BFP (can u guess what that is???)

.

By the time I stopped freaking out, called mom, and took a picture - the plus had started to fade but it's there!!

So excited but still just going to relax for blood work and then til heartbeat time. Buuut...this surely is a step in the right direction.