Surrogacy-What an Adventure!

Since I am carrying twins,  I have made it practically to the half way mark!   Just seem crazy to me, because we just started it seems.    I am feeling good and big!   I can feel the babies move more and more but only internally.  I can not feel them from the outside or see them move yet.  If I feel a flutter I stare at my belly, but no luck yet.    I have been running about 3 miles every other day, and I still feel pretty good, some runs are easier then others.  

Last Wednesday, I had and OB appointment.   Heartbeats were good and I gained another pound or two.   I have heard that some doctors automatically have you get and epidural for a twin birth even if you are delivering vaginally.   It is precaution incase they quickly need to perform a c-section.   I did not know if Dr. Lloyd does that, so I asked him “if both babies are head down and we get to have vaginal birth, do I have to get an epidural?”   He said “sure you can get an epidural”…I said, “no, I do not want one, I do not like then remember”…then he just said ” oh you are gonna be uncomforable, you will want one.”    So my silly doc did not actually answer the question, but maybe he was confussed on my question or just thinking I am a nutt cuz I do not want an epidural…LOL    I told him I was already having a ton of Braxton Hick contractions and he said it was not big deal and completely normal.  He said the more pregnancies we have the more our bodies react and stuff.  Good to know.   When you go to the OB appointment you have to give a urine sample, they test the amount of protein in it.  Well, I took my sample and then asked them what to do with it..give it to the lab or leave in bathroom, they told me to take it to the room.  So here I am wondering around with my cup o pee!   I made silly jokes and the staff laughed at me….then after I saw the doc, the again said ok take your cup with you..so I wondered around to the lab with my urine and also got my blood drawn.   Silly…

Yesterday, we had our level 2 ultrasound.   This is the big ultrasound during all pregnancies between week 17-21.   They measure the babies limbs and check the organs.     It was funny because D&K and I were just chatting away but once the u/s tech began the scan we got quiet and just stared at the screen.   She worked with baby A first.   Baby A was laying on my left side and head down, in fact the head was right in my cervix.   But no crazy plans, cuz there will be no early exits!!  The did the measuring she needed to do and then asked if they wanted to know gender.   My IM said oh yes, even though we already knew.  So the tech begins to check it out and says…a girl.   I was like really!! Then said well let me get a better look.   Baby A must be shy because at the last ultrasound it took a while to get a good peek.   Baby A’s legs were crossed at the ankles it was cute but not making it and easy task.   Tech did not give up and finally….Hello, it  is most definitely a boy!    On to Baby B…both babies were moving and groovin in there but baby B was certainly more rambunctions and not shy!   Baby B is on my right side with the feet up there kicking my belly button.    It was so cute at one point both babies had there little heads together as Baby A just had to move over and get in on the action.   The tech got a really cute picture of the heads together.   There was no hiding and no question that Baby B was another boy!    Both Babies measured right on target and are about 8oz each…so we have two sweet potatoes together measuring a pound!  It was so much fun to here D&K laughing and talking about their boys.  Oh, it is just too exciting and special.   Check their growing temporary housing…

After the ultrasound, we went to see Dr. Lloyd as that his protocal.   We got to hear the heartbeats,  Baby B 160 and Baby A 155….great!   Dr. Lloyd came in said all looks super.   He said we will have another one around 26-28 weeks to check on the boys and to be sure both are growing and one is not dominating, ha.   He gave me some more prenaltal vitamins, as I take them twice a day instead of just once with the twins and he also gave me some iron.   I will not see him again for 4 weeks.  

Oh a funny story before I go….I was at Kohls yesterday looking or some clothes for my son.    I found two shirts.   I finished looking around and then I headed out the door….I looked down at my hands about to get my keys out of my purse when I noticed….I still had the shirts in my hands….not in a bag….I did not even check out and pay!!  What in the world…oh my, I must have just been exhausted and trying to live on pregnancy brain!   I walked back in and the check lady was just laughing!   I told my husband the story last night and it was just too funny, I got the giggles and laughed uncontrolably for about 5 minutes…too silly! 

Oh I have more to write but I have to be at work today and must go get ready…

A few weeks ago, D&K along with my family all went to Dave and Busters.   We got their first and the K arrived.   She had to run to the restroom and when she returned she realized she had lost her wallet.  It was terrible she had just got there and already lost her wallet.    We began the search for it, and went back to the bathroom but it was not their.  We did tell the workers that she was missing a wallet.    We went back to play games and to our suprise, a worker brought her wallet back to her…thank goodness, disaster gone!   It was half price games and oh my we had a blast.  It was just so much fun and we stayed there for about 5 hours…ha, from 4pm to 9pm…just crazy, but when the games are half price you can play sooo many.   We got addicted to the trivia game, it was too silly!     We played so much that we earned 11,000 in tickets, it was awesome.   The kids were excited to pick out a cool prize, but when we looked around it seem odd.   Seemed like some of the prizes were not out and displayed and that some things were way more expensive then normal…we figured it was because it was a half price day.    We just saved the ticket voucher and will go back on a normal day to redeem them.

Well, we finally know what kinda filling the twinkies have.    I knew that K was very anxious to know the sex of both babies, as we already knew at least one was a boy.  She has lots of planning and decorating to do.    I was looking up information on 3D ultrasounds and noticed that you can get a quick gender check at 16 weeks.   At first, I was gonna be sneaky and go have the u/s done and then surprise her at our next visit.   But then as I thought about it, it did not seem like the best idea.   I know that she and D would want to be the first to know and see it.  So, I mentioned the u/s to her.  I told her instead of waiting to find out on the 27th we could find out as early as the 13th, she was excited and ready to go.    Yesterday I was 16weeks and we had the ultrasound.   

The tech began the ultrasound looking at baby B.   Lets just say baby B was very proud and happy to share….as soon as the image came up there “He” was !!   He was wiggling around and having fun, even mooning mom and dad already…silly stinker!    He looked strong and healthy and had a good heartbeat of 139.    On to baby A, lets just say baby A was feeling shy.   As the tech looked,  the legs were close together and baby A was not moving as much.   Tech was guessing Baby A was a girl and K and I looked at each other in hope and delight be since it was not certain we all waited.   I rolled to one side and we tried to get baby A to move, not going along with the plan…so I moved around again and what did we finally see….ha “He” came out from hiding!    So two, bouncing baby boys for D&K.    Baby A was also strong and healthy with a heartbeat of 157.   They were laying across my belly baby A on the bottom with his head on my right side and baby B on top with his head on my left side.   They move all the time so no need to be troubled about not being head down…LOL….way too early.  

D&K were too cute, precious joy filled their faces and I was just so happy for them.    You have to treasure those moments and it is way too rewarding and special to describe.   Wow, I am gonna grow and bring two boys  into their arms…amazing!    K was just laughing and said “two D’s on the way, and good thing cuz we do not need anymore K’s”   she is too silly!   I will say I was really hoping for one of each, but in the end it totally does not matter, it only matters that there are two growing babies and all is how it was meant to be.   And it is kinda crazy….I guess I only know how to grow surro boys, I had a boy in 05, 07 and now 2 in 09 !!  So now I guess K will be occupied with redecorating and plannig for them.   

I am feeling great, no more queezies and the gastrointestinal issues are not bad anymore…LOL    I found these fiber drink packets, they are great, you just put them in a bottle of water and bam you got instant fiber and great tasting water     It is funny, lately I get really hungry so I eat but then I get really full and soon I am really hungry again.    Oh and I keep gaining weight, but part of being preggo, ha.    In the beginning I lost about 5 pounds and now I have gained that plus 10 pounds.   Oh and I have already started having braxton hicks contractions…they are just minor practice contractions, so no big deal but I do not remember getting them this early.   But this is my 5th pregnancy and it is twins.    I am not sleeping very much, I just can not get comfortable and my back is kinda achy.     I was chatting with another surro and she told me about a preggo pillow sold at Walmart.com.    I looked it up and yep I ordered it!   I is cool it wraps around you and supports your back, belly and legs and stuff.   It should come next week, we shall see if it helps.  

I have been looking for a job closer to home and I kinda thought it was not going to happen.   Then one Sunday 2 weeks ago, I was looking at job openings and I found one at a middle school only 15min from home.   It was a special ed teaching spot with coaching in volleyball, basketball and track.   In addition, I knew the head coach there, because the middle school I previously worked at, played that school every year.    So I sent her an e-mail.  She responded on Monday and said she would send info to her principal.    Then I get a call on Tuesday for come in for an interview.    I went in for interview at 2.    I really liked what they had to say and all the info and I like the prinicpal and other coach.   However when I my husband asked how it went, I was not so sure about it.   For some reason I thought the interview was not good and that I had done a poor job.   At 4:30 I got a call, it was the principal…she said “How would you feel working at Moorehead and coaching volleyball and track and teaching SpEd”   I was confussed because she did not say basketball also, and so I asked and she said they had worked it out so that I only had to do 2 sports.   I was like shocked that totally does not happen at a middle school, you normally just have to do it all.    I remember during the interview, I mentioned that I had 2 kids and they are now very active in things and so I juggle getting them to their things sometimes.   The coach told me that might still be hard because they get out of pracitice around 5:30.   But she did say volleyball would be before school and bball and track would be after school.   I told her that would be good and my husband and I would work it out we always do.  So I know it was God’s help and plan to take off basketball.    It will help us so much, because with vball being in morning I can deal with kids after school and then I have bball season off, and track is easy for my husband to deal with kids.   Wow!   I was in shock for a few hours, I could not believe how quick they decided to hire me and then to have it all kinda fall into place, God is just amazing.   

Oh I forgot, to post them here are my 16 week belly shots.   My belly is about the size it is when I am 20 weeks with one baby.   I was being silly and did some comparisons.  There is also a picture of a surro shirt I made.   I bought the crystal iron-on  from another surro that makes them.