Two little turnips

According to BabyCenter, these two little ladies are now each about the size of a turnip.  I don't know that I've ever really seen a turnip, but ok!  We are 17 weeks 3 days today, and chugging along.  The "big" ultrasound at 20 weeks will be just after Labor Day and J&T will be here, which is exciting!  It will be the first time they see me and their babies since we were 12 weeks, at our last fertility clinic appointment (and only T was there, so it's been even longer for J).  Surprise, surprise- my belly has sure popped out since then!  I'm sure at 20 weeks it will be even bigger.  We've also talked about doing a 3d/4d u/s so they can have a DVD to share with friends & family.  I've never done one of those at a private u/s place before, so it will be a new experience!  Things are going well, at my OB appointment this week both babies had heart rates of 155ish.  They were so similar that my OB took a quick peek with the u/s to make sure we got both heart beats separately and weren't just finding the same one twice.  The babies are really close together, but usually with the doppler, we can tell them apart because the HR varies.  This time it was just after lunch, and they were both pretty active, so HRs were about the same.  I love it at this point when I can feel some flutters here and there, but then on the doppler you can hear them moving around with those swoosh sounds while listening to the hearts beating away.  Based on the flutters, I'd guess that I'll be feeling little kicks and movements within a couple weeks or so.  I wish my IFs would be able to feel them from the outside when they're here for the u/s, but 20 weeks is just too early for much to be going on from the outside.  At least they'll be able to see the girls on the u/s and see what a typical OB appt is like (super quick, lol!), since I have both scheduled back to back the day they're here.
I do need to get a belly pic posted one of these days, but I just keep forgetting!  I will remember soon... or at least I keep telling myself that.  ; )  One or two more appointments until I start going to the OB more often, like every 2 weeks, so I'll have updates (and maybe even belly pics) for you more often too!

It's been too long!

I am so sorry!  Time got away from me these last couple weeks and I completely forgot to update all of you.  So, here goes.
The last week of June was my oldest daughter's 6th birthday.  6!?  Where does all that time go?  She'll be starting 1st grade in the fall, which still boggles my mind...do I really have an elementary schooler, yep, I do!  For her birthday she opted to go somewhere super fun instead of having the normal party we do every year.  We took her to a nearby water park with lots of fun wave pools, water slides, lazy rivers, etc.  We all had a great day playing in the water.  We also went to dinner at Corvette Diner, a fun restaurant where they totally entertain the kids (and adults, too) by dancing and singing in between taking orders and bringing out your food.  There's also a video game arcade where the kids had fun, but we had to drag my husband out when it was time to leave... I'm not sure who enjoys it more.  ; )
Enough on me and my family, though- you want to hear about these babies!  I had an appt at TFI on July 5th and everything looked great, as usual.  Both babies measured on track, heart rates looked great, and I was told as long as my bloodwork came back fine I was officially released from their care!  Yay!  They gave T a dvd of all the ultrasounds since that very first confirmation of pregnancy, so they have that to share with friends & family for now.  The bloodwork results came in later that day, so TFI called and told me everything was perfect and I was to stop all meds (woo hoo!) and do a follow up blood draw (near me, not at their office) a few days later to make sure nothing dropped too low once the meds were out of my system.  The follow up also came back great, so we are all done with those long drives for short appointments.  I am so relieved to finally be off the meds and done planning my weeks around trips to TFI.  Whew!  Also, getting off the meds and transitioning into the second trimester has made the morning/all day sickness pretty bearable!  It's getting better and better as time goes by, so I think that soon I'll be back to my normal self.  : )  Although, this already protruding belly will be growing sooner than later, so I may not be completely normal, but I have a while before I'll be really huge and unable to do things, like tie my own shoes.  lol
Once released from TFI, I already had an appt scheduled with my OB for July 11th.  That appointment went great, we listened to the heart rates- both in the 150s, not much weight gain yet (good!), and my initial blood work was all normal.  Since TFI had sent my records, including the pics and measurements from my last few ultrasounds, my OB won't need to do another u/s until the 20 week growth scan, which is the longest u/s of the pregnancy. During this u/s, they measure everything on both babies, look at all of the organs, and pretty much do an overall well being check.  It can last about 1 hour per baby.  My last twin pregnancy, I had an u/s every few visits after that 20 week one, so we'll see if the schedule is still similar this time around.  I'll be 14 weeks tomorrow (according to BabyCenter, this means the babies are each about the size of a lemon), so we still have a while to go 'til that one.  My next OB appointment will be just before I hit 17 weeks, and I might start taking some belly pics around then as well, so I'll be sure to update!

There is an end in sight...

Well, an end to all of these 6 hour round trip drives to the fertility clinic anyway!  I went once a week for 4 weeks to watch the SCH, and at the 9 week appointment it was finally gone.  So, now I go up for my last (fingers crossed, because I will scream if they say differently) appointment in just under 2 weeks.  I will be 12 weeks and ready to stop taking all of these wonderful medications (did you get the sarcasm there?) and also very ready to graduate to my OB's care.  I've already started seeing her (my OB), but it will be wonderful when I only have to go to her appointments...15 minutes away from my house.  I'm really trying to stay upbeat, but lately I'll admit I've been a little more frustrated with the fertility clinic.  I plead with them to let me be monitored closer to home because of the nausea I've been experiencing, but they just won't allow it.  But, it's too late for that now anyway- only one more appointment and this chapter of my journey will be closed.  On the upside, the babies are looking great, always measuring on track or a few days ahead, heartbeats fluttering away in there.  At the last u/s (9 weeks) they resembled gummy bears, with their little arm and leg buds sprouting out.  We even watched them wiggle around a bit.  At least one of my IFs has been at each u/s at TFI, so it was nice that they were getting to be there and see it all.  They most likely won't be attending many appointments at my OB, because it is just too far to drive for a day trip.  I've assured them that they will get plenty of pictures from each u/s I have, though- so they won't miss out on seeing these babies grow.
For now, I'm going to enjoy my few weeks off from driving to the clinic and celebrate my oldest daughter's Kindergarten graduation (today) and her 6th birthday (next week)!  Fun times ahead, it's summer!  I see lots of pool time in our future.  ; )

Our first ultrasound...

So, I had mentioned that we had an u/s scheduled, and as most of you agreed, it was pretty early.  5w6d, to be exact, and I wasn't quite sure what we'd be able to see at that point.  When we got there, the doctor explained that there would be 3 things we could see that would be fine... one would be a sac, with nothing visible inside; two would be a sac with a fetal pole inside; and three was a sac with a flutter of cardiac activity starting to show (a very new heartbeat).  So, we were prepared.  And then we saw...

Some of you pros may know what you see in the above u/s pic, but some may be waiting to know what we are looking at... well, you are looking at TWINS!  That's right- those two darks areas with those little circles inside, that means two babies.  And at our early u/s, 5w6d, we saw both heart beats fluttering inside each sac.  Now, what you can't see in this pic is that I also have a small pocket of fluid/blood in my uterus (an SCH) which is not fabulous, but also not horrible.  It's relatively common, and usually the blood just reabsorbs and the SCH is gone.  We will watch it to make sure it gets smaller and fades away over the next weeks.  These things don't usually pose a threat to the pregnancy, but in rare cases they can, which is why they will watch it.  So, all in all, we are doing good!  The doctor first said, "well, I see at least two right now and maybe another..." and I just about had a panic attack for a moment.  I may have held my breath until he said there were just the two.  Whew!  I've done twins before, but 3 is a ball game I'm not sure I'm up for!  But, I am happy to be the temporary home for these two girls for the next 9 months or so.  Ah, yes, did you remember that we know the sex of these babes already, since they were PGD tested?  So, it is my second set of surro-twin girls!  Apparently my uterus has a "no boys allowed" policy.    ; )  We go back next week for another u/s, so I will update you all sometime after that!  Have a great holiday weekend!

The results are in...

I went in yesterday and had my bloodwork done.  Just the normal, routine stuff- checking all my hormone levels to make sure my meds are at the right dosages, etc.  Oh, and then one additional test, the beta HCG... that tells us if I'm pregnant or not!  So, the clinic called and let us know that we are, in fact, pregnant!  My beta # was 1365, and it was taken 14 days after the transfer.  I think it's a pretty strong number, but it's in the middle enough that there's no clue towards twins or a singleton.  Sometimes numbers are high and you think it must be twins...although it could still be wrong.  You never know until the u/s, but this number really just leaves us guessing with no real inclination either way.  We have a first, and very early, u/s next Wednesday- when I'll be be 5 weeks 6 days along, a little on the early side for a heartbeat, but it's possible we'll get to see one (or two).  Then the clinic will update me on what comes next (another u/s maybe?).

I know you've all been anxiously waiting...

It looks like I am knocked up!  We had our transfer on 5/1, and my official beta hcg blood test isn't until 5/15 (yes, they are cruel and make us wait 2...full...weeks!), but I have cheated and taken hpt after hpt.  Yep, they all look like the one above!  J&T are happy, but I think they are also waiting to hear it from the doctor directly after the blood test.  Well, really I think they are just waiting for the u/s to know if there is one baby in there or two... I'm anxiously awaiting that news for sure.  I'm thrilled that our first transfer seems to have stuck because, to be honest, I was a little nervous when I found out there were no embryos left to freeze.  It was kind of that "all your eggs in one basket" thing, only they had all their eggs in my basket.  No pressure, right?  ; )

Transfer Day!

Tuesday, May 1st was the day we had been waiting for...transfer day!  Dh and I drove the 3 hours to the hotel, right down the street from TFI, on Monday.  We got checked in and brought our things to our room, then met up with J&T.  We were all so excited that this was finally happening!  We spent the late afternoon walking around a nearby mall, then went to dinner, and finally returned to the hotel for some rest.  The next morning we all drove together to TFI and anxiously waited to be called in to the procedure room.  When they finally called my name, they had us all come back- we dropped J&T off in a conference area to discuss the embryos testing results and the doctor's recommendations for transfer; and DH and I proceeded to the room to get ready for transfer.  What seemed like an hour went by (it was probably 10 minutes) and J&T came in the room.  There were only 2 embryos left after testing... and they were 2 girls.  So, that was that, the 2 girls were going in.  They both looked fantastic, according to the doctor, so we were still doing good.  It was a little humorous to me, since I had carried twin girls my last surrogacy journey- and I was expecting to carry a boy at some point (since I also have 2 daughters, myself) but, what can I say- I am a baby girl machine.  ; )  The transfer went as planned, and I was wheeled out of the procedure room and down to the car.  Oh, with one quick pit stop to open a gift from my IPs in the lobby...a deep pink MK handbag.  How sweet are they?!  I absolutely love it.  They said it must have been meant to be that they chose the pink bag, and we ended up with only female embryos!  We all went back to the hotel and talked for a while, then J&T had to head home.  J&T had gotten our hotel room for the night after transfer as well, so DH and I were able to relax, get some take out and stay there until the next morning- which was recommended after transfer.  Taking it easy and letting those embryos settle in is my job for the next 2 days or so, then still no heavy lifting or too much activity until at least after the pregnancy test in 2 weeks. Now that the transfer has come and gone we are on to our next stage of the waiting game!  The dreaded 2 week wait to find out if we are pregnant or not.  We'll see how long I make it before I start taking home tests...