Ultrasound

We had a great day with Steph and Soleil today! The appointment was good and not so good...the babies are doing great but are both little stinkers! Ella decided that she wanted to get a better look at her sister so she turned around again...so she's now breech. Ella and Emma's heads are side by side, it looked really cute on the ultrasound...like they were snuggling or kissing but it does present us with a problem. Steph will most likely have to have a C-Section now. She goes back in next week to recheck their positions and if Ella is still breach then she will have a C-Section the following week (38 weeks). Steph is acting like a real trooper but I know she's scared and a bit sad, this will be her first C-Section in 6 pregnancies. We all hope that Ella will decide to turn again but she's quickly running out of room so the chances are slim.

The good news...Ella and Emma were both practicing breathing today so their lungs are mature. Ella had a heart rate of 134 and Emma had a heart rate of 145. Ella weighs 5lbs 8oz and Emma weighs 5lbs 9oz. And they both looked beautiful and happy! More good news...Steph's cervix is still closed up tight! 36 weeks tomorrow...crazy!

Steph also got the girls some crazy cute onsies, bibs and blankets. I can't wait to see E & E wearing them! Thanks Steph for such a great day!

Two by Two...Getting Organized

Darin made us this daily log for the babies. I asked him to make this log because I was worried that I would forget which baby I fed and so on. These logs will help me keep track of all of the important info. I had him add a "misc" column to keep track of all the other info like runny noses, ouchies and growth. I think he did a great job!
We decided to set up some of our baby gear a little early to encourage our big girls to get all of their curiosity and touching out of the way. I think the babies will be really comfy in these cradle swings!
Here are their blanket sets, my big girls adore their "little giraffe" blankets! We got these other "wubbies" in Hawaii. The purple and pink blankets are Emma's and the yellow and green blankets are Ella's.
These beautiful hats were made by my friend Lisa! I love them and I know the girls will look adorable in them.

New Books

A great friend sent us some really cool books recently! Hannah and Olivia both love them and I have a feeling that Ella and Emma are going to love them too! Thank you Marty, you are always so thoughtful and giving!

OB Appointment

Steph had her 2nd NST and 100th (or it seems that way anyway) OB appointment today! Everything went smoothly and everyone looks great! No dilation yet!!! Go Steph!!!

OB appointment and NST

Steph had her OB appointment today and her first NST (Non-Stress Test). She said that the nurses had a hard time getting the straps on her belly because the girls did not cooperate. They were kicking wildly. But the NST went fine. She couldn't give me definitive heart rates because they were all over the place depending on Ella and Emma's activity.
Steph's cervix is still closed. There is a head near it but her doctor said it is pretty high up there. Her stomach measures 36 weeks and she had no weight gain.
They also drew her blood today to recheck her hemoglobin, we should have those results back tomorrow.
All in all, her doctor was very happy with things.

Here are a few photos of Steph from this week!

PBO (Pre-Birth Order)

I just received our PBO in the mail today....YAY!!! The PBO is a legal document, signed by a judge. It states that Darin and I are the legal and biological parents of both Ella and Emma. This document ensures that the hospital will recognize us as the babies' parents and will allow us to take full responsibility for the babies once they are born. It also ensures that mine and Darin's names will be directly put the on Ella and Emma's birth certificates. This will make things a lot less confusing for the hospital staff too! Yay, that's one more thing crossed off my list...we must be getting closer!!!

OB Appointment

Steph had a great appointment today, it was fast and filled with good news!!! Ella's heart rate was 123 bpm and Emma's heart rate was 154. Her iron level has gone up and Dr. Richman will check it again next week. Steph will start weekly Non-Stress Tests (monitor hooked up to her belly and she pushes a button every time she feels a kick) next week. It also monitors her uterus for any contractions.

And the very best news of all is that Dr. Richman felt a head by Steph's cervix!!!!! YAY Ella is finally head down!!!! Now we just have to pray that she stays that way.

So it was a great appointment today, I can't believe we are almost 33 weeks!!

Thank you Steph!!!

Steph sent Darin and I these beautiful flowers and vase!!! Thank you Steph, we love them!!! But we disagree...we think that you are the one that ROCKS!!!

32 Weeks!

And here's a photo of Steph at 32 weeks! I think she look beautiful, I can't believe how much her belly has grown since the last time we saw her!!!
Here's a little bit about how the babies are developing, I read this on babycenter.com this morning. By now, your babies weigh 3.75 pounds each (pick up a large jicama) and they are about 16.7 inches long. The babies will gain a third to half of their birth weight during the next 7 weeks as they fatten up for survival outside the womb. They now have toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). The babies' skin is becoming soft and smooth as they plump up in preparation for birth.
And here's another fabulous picture of Steph!!! Thanks Steph for sending these to me!!
We are hoping for another ultrasound at the end of April, around 36 weeks!

OB Appointment

Steph had her OB appointment today and she says it was pretty basic with nothing to really report. Ella's heart rate was 145 and Emma's was 136. Steph's cervix remains closed and good. She took a complete blood count test today so tomorrow we should know those results. Let's hope her hemoglobin is in the mid 7's at least. She gained about 7 pounds this last week and is still pretty swollen but hanging in. Tomorrow we'll be 32 weeks!

Iron update

Steph got her iron levels rechecked at her last OB appointment and unfortunately there is no change despite Steph trying her hardest to get it up. Her body just doesn't absorb iron very well since her gastric bypass surgery. The actual numbers are...two weeks ago her iron level was 7.1 and on Wednesday it was 7.2. Obviously this needs to be fixed before labor. She had her first "injection" today although it's not really an injection at all. It was an IV bag that took 3 1/2 hours. She will have them now for the next 9 days straight. She says that there weren't any real bad side effects. She's just really tired and hungry now and she still has the IV port in her arm for tomorrow. We hope things will be looking up real soon and this will solve this problem. Her doctor will run some more labs Sunday after that injection. Poor, poor Steph...I feel so bad for her.

OB Appointment

Steph had a good OB appointment today! She is measuring 34 weeks but she will actually be 31 weeks tomorrow. Her doctor tested her iron level again today but we won't have the results back for a few days. Ella's heart rate was135 and Emma's was 150. Her cervix is closed up nice and tight. She gained about 3 pounds since her last appointment. All in all, everything is good and uneventful. We are getting more and more excited everyday, just 8 more weeks to go until we meet our youngest two sweet daughters.

30 Weeks!

Okay so I've been avoiding this post because I didn't want to put any grandparents into hysteria and didn't want my mom to think she needs to start driving here today. But there really is nothing to worry about so I thought I would share some news now. Steph unexpectedly went to the OB last Friday. She has been experiencing some quivering sensations where Emma is laying and got worried. She called the OB and they told her to come in immediately. They ordered an ultrasound and couldn't find anything wrong with either baby, everything is just perfect. The doctor on call thought that possibly one of the babies is laying on one of Steph's nerves and is causing the quivering sensation, so they think it could be Steph's body quivering not Emma's but they can't be sure without actually seeing it. So basically nothing is wrong but now we have some more info on E and E! Both heart rates were excellent!!! Ella weighs 3lbs 8oz and Emma weighs 3lbs 7oz! The doctor was very pleased at the almost identical sizes! The bad news is they are still both laying transverse...sideways...so Ella better start getting her butt in gear or actually her her head down so Steph can have a vaginal delivery.

Cute Story

A few months ago Hannah and I were driving in the car and out of nowhere she started a conversation about Stephanie. Here's how it went....

Hannah: "You know the person who has our babies in her tummy? What's her name?"
Me: "Stephanie"
Hannah: "Yes, Yes Stephanie! I think we should buy her a present!"
Me: "That's a nice idea. What do you think we should get her?"
Hannah: "A card and a movie. And I can write in the card and draw a big heart!"
Me: "That's a great idea, I think she would really like your drawing! I think we should get her a card for sure. I don't think we'll get her a movie though."
Hannah: "But I think she would like a movie."
Me: "You're probably right she would like a movie, but how about we get her a card and some cookies instead."
Hannah: "Okay that's a great idea!"

So when we got to the store we bought Steph a card (Hannah picked it out all by herself, it had to be a singing card) and we ordered her some girl scout cookies that night. Well the girl scout cookies just came in so Hannah wrote her card on Saturday and we sent Steph her package. Hannah was so excited and proud. She drew a picture of our family and wrote on the card too! I am so proud of Hannah, she is such a thoughtful and caring little girl!

Here's a photo of her card!
You can click on the photo to see the card a little better!

OB Appointment

Not much to report on today's OB appointment. Steph gained a pound. Emma's heart rate (B) was 140 and Ella's heart rate (A) was 130. Steph's cervix is closed. Her doctor will recheck her Iron level next week. She said today's appointment was pretty boring and uneventful.

Four and Curious...

Hannah recently turned four! Her birthdays are always a special time to remember and talk about her surrogate, Lisa. Hannah received a card from Lisa on her birthday and I said "this card is from the nice lady, Lisa, that carried you in her tummy when you were growing and getting ready for us." She just said "oh" and was too enamored with the card to say anything else. When we got home she left the card in the car. Today when we got back in the car she immediately asked to hold her card. Here's how the conversation unfolded in the car today...

Hannah: "Can we go play with her?"
Me: "who?"
Hannah: "I was in her tummy."
Me: "Her name is Lisa. Lisa lives really far away so we can't go play with her today but maybe next time we visit Nana and Papa. She lives in CA just like them."
Hannah: "How did I get out of her tummy?"
Me: (trying to avoid giving all the graphic details) "The same way most babies are born."
Hannah: "I came out of her mouth."
Me: (kind of laughing) "No babies come out of private parts."
Hannah didn't say anything she just gave me a really funny look...like I was totally crazy and wrong. She's going through a know it all phase.

I wonder what kind of things we'll talk about the next time we get in the car!

OB Appointment

The babies are doing good! Ella's heart rate was 124 BPM and Emma's was 130 BMP. Steph is doing okay, her iron level is extremely low which could be really bad at delivery. She is doubling up on iron pills and we are hopeful that will do the trick...if not she'll have to get iron injections. She says she doesn't feel that bad so she was shocked at the number. She also gained 1.8 pounds since last week!

28 Weeks

Yay, we are now 28 weeks pregnant and in the third trimester!!!!!
Here's a little info on how our twins our growing...
According to Babycenter by this week our twins should weigh about two and a quarter pounds each (like a Chinese cabbage) and measure 14.8 inches from the top of their heads to their heels. Ella and Emma can blink their eyes, which now have lashes. Their eyesight is developing and they may be able to see the light that filters in through the womb. They are also developing billions of neurons in their brains and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

OB Appointment

Steph had her first of many weekly OB appointments today and everything is looking great! She lost 3lbs but she was weighed on a different scale than last time so that could be wrong. Steph's blood pressure was great and her cervix is still nice and closed. Her stomach is measuring a 1/2cm bigger than last week. She also took the blood glucose test and passed with flying colors.

Ella's heart rate was 136 BPM and Emma's was 145 BPM! I can't believe that we are 28 weeks tomorrow, wow this pregnancy is going so fast!

Steph is truly making this pregnancy so easy on Darin and I, she's a miraculous woman! Thanks again Steph!

Ultrasound - 26 weeks 6 days

We are back from our trip to IA to see Steph, Ella and Emma today! Everyone is doing great! Ella and Emma are getting so big! We got to see both of their faces really well today...so, so cute!

Steph is looking great, I don't know where she is hiding my babies! Here she is at 26 weeks 6 days with my twins! She's measuring 29 weeks! She is having some problems with her feet though...bad swelling. Dr. Richman's not too concerned, he wants her to majorly increase her protein and no more salt at all. I think we should all let her know how beautiful she looks and also how amazing she's doing carrying my twins!
Here's Hannah touching her sisters!
Here's a 3D photo of Ella's face! She is our big baby right now weighing in at 2lbs 5oz. Her heart rate was 130 BPM! She is measuring exactly right at 26 weeks 6 days!
Baby Ella's foot!
Baby Ella's profile!

Here is Baby Emma's face! We didn't get very good shots of her today, I have a few others but you really can't see anything. She's measuring a little small but nothing to worry about, 26 weeks even. She weighs 1lb 15oz! Her heart rate was 144 BPM!

Preemie Clothes

I recently purchased some preemie clothes from another IM. Her sweet baby girl out grew them so I gladly snatched them up at a steal of a price. I received them in the mail yesterday and immediately threw them in the washer. I walked in my bedroom last night and found Darin folding all the laundry. I noticed that he had put two of the preemie shirts in a pile by themselves away from all the other preemie clothes that I had purchased. When he saw me he held up one of the shirts and jokingly said "Why did you buy all these doll clothes?" The clothes are seriously that tiny! He then informed me that he was taking these shirts to work with him to hang up on his wall, he said that they are just too cute and he wants to think of our twins to brighten up his days at work. He's such a sweet guy!
These are the shirts that he took to work, I took pictures of them with their matching pants.

Reflections- Transferring Olivia

Reflections...Transferring Olivia!
It was going to be an incredible day, I knew it when I woke up in the morning. It was odd for me leading up to Olivia’s transfer because I really didn’t have anything to do…physically anyway. I didn’t need to take shots or pills, I didn’t need to have an egg retrieval and Darin didn’t need to do anything physical either. We’d had both already done our parts a few years back and the precious outcome of our work was sitting in a freezer at our clinic just waiting for us. Not having my shots to focus on sure did make me feel that much worse for Kristy (our wonderful surrogate that carried and delivered Olivia). She still had to take daily injections to prepare her body to receive our embryos and then continue to take injections so her body wouldn't reject our embryos.
This transfer was also very different because Darin and I had moved across the Country since our last transfer with Hannah. We were now living in Wisconsin so getting to our clinic wasn’t just an hour drive. Kristy was also living far away in Ohio…we wanted our surrogate to live close to us so she had a long way to travel also. Darin and I had decided since it was going to be such a short trip (just a few days) that it would be best to keep Hannah at home with him and for me to travel to CA by myself. So we made all the travel arrangements for Kristy and myself and crossed our fingers that we guessed right and our transfer would happen on one of the days we were scheduled to be in town. We both arrived in San Francisco on November 16, 2006. Thankfully Kristy’s body cooperated and we had our transfer the following day on November 17, 2006. We stayed at my parents house in Pleasanton while we were in CA so we still had about an hour drive to the clinic. We woke up early on the 17th and my mom drove us to the clinic. On the drive we had wishful conversations. I was hopeful but really scared that it wouldn’t work but Kristy never faltered…she knew it would work. Her confidence shined through that morning. We arrived at the clinic with time to spare, our transfer was scheduled for 9:30a.m. We announced ourselves and were ushered back to the pre-op waiting area. Kristy and I were called back to the procedure room and Dr. Ryan came in to discuss my embryo's quality and how they thawed. I shocked to hear that they thawed 3 embryos and all 3 survived. I don’t know why but I was totally expecting to hear that they had to thaw all 8 and that we only had 2 or 3 to transfer. I was immediately filled with mixed emotions about our successful thaw rate. I was happy that we had 3 to transfer and happy that if this transfer didn’t work then we would still have a few embryos to try again later. But I was also sad because I felt no hope in the 5 remaining embryos if these first 3 didn’t work. And if we did get pregnant on the first try than what would we do with the remaining 5 embryos. I hope I’m making since…it makes since to me but I’ve thought about all this stuff endlessly. Boy if I knew then what I know now…it makes me laugh!
Dr. Ryan told us that the 3 embryos we were about to transfer all looked great! Kristy and I shared some moments of laughter and talked nervously while we waited. Dr. Ryan came in with the embryologist, I had to give them all the appropriate information to confirm that these embryos were in fact mine. We were given a picture of my embryos that we were transferring. It was so overwhelming to look at that photo…3 perfect little embryos. It was time to watch those perfect embryos on the ultrasound machine. Dr. Ryan put the catheter containing my embryos in Kristy’s uterus and released my little babies. It really is a weird feeling to watch your babies going in another woman’s body. I feel so thankful for technology and for Kristy…I wouldn’t be Olivia’s mom if it weren’t for her. Afterwards, we were able to sit and chat and just rest for a while. We stopped off at McDonald's and the grocery store on the way home. McDonald's for some french fries (all you surrogate's and IP's know about this superstition) and went to the grocery store for some pineapple (again...a surrogate/IP's superstition...fries and pineapple help the embryos hang around...they are a must for every surrogate just after transfer). We then headed back to my mom and dad’s house and took it easy for a few days. We headed home on November 19th full of hope. Kristy took several HPT’s but sadly they were all negative so we weren’t very hopeful the day of her Beta test (blood test – pregnancy test). All I remember is Kristy calling me…I remember seeing her name on the caller ID and dread sinking in…I just didn’t want to hear bad news. I answered the phone and Kristy was yelling with excitement…”The number is 18, it worked…I’m pregnant!” I was in disbelief, the number was low but still a positive. I hung up from Kristy and called my clinic, they too said it was positive but wanted to wait for our next Beta test two days later to be sure. They said to be cautiously optimistic. Two days later Kristy’s beta number was 65.7, it had more than doubled…YAY! I was getting more excited by the minute. We had a third beta test on December 2nd and the number was 268, Kristy was definitely pregnant with one of my babies! We had a wonderful journey together and the end result was perfect…One sweet little Olivia! She was born on July 23, 2007! Thank you Kristy for helping Olivia into this world, my world wouldn’t be the same without her! You are truly one of the most kind, thoughtful and honest people I know…I’m proud to call you my friend!
My three little embryos just before they were transferred into Kristy's uterus! Olivia at 9 weeks gestation! She looks like a cute little teddy bear!

Olivia at 12 weeks gestation!
Olivia at 20 weeks gestation. I think she's actually sucking her thumb in this photo!
Kristy-just before she delivered our sweet Olivia! A very happy family!

A brand new baby!
Here's a photo of Olivia today, she's 19 months old!

Sleep

I have not been getting very much sleep the past few nights, you would think I was the one pregnant tossing around from all the aches and pains but aches and pains are not my problem...it's my overactive mind. I wake up almost every hour to create a new list. Lists of things to buy (for every child...believe it or not Olivia needs the most stuff...a new bed, new bedding, a mattress,..ect), things to paint, things to organize and so on. I'm seriously feeling overwhelmed right now and way behind. Darin keeps telling me to calm down because we have 12 weeks still to get all of this done but that just makes it worse. 12 weeks sounds like nothing to me and having him act all cavalier about it makes me feel like he's not taking it seriously. I need him to be motivated right now. We only have 12 weeks left if our perfect plan of 38 weeks actually happens. We weren't going to start to paint Hannah and Olivia's room until the 27th but we are now starting tonight. I just feel a need to start getting things done. I'm going out today to buy the paint and some hangers too. Time to start organizing all our baby clothes. This just sucks, I really need my sleep now because I'm definitely not going to be getting any in 12 weeks.

OB Appointment

Steph had her OB appointment today! The babies were very calm and happy during the appointment today! Ella's heart rate was 123 BPM and Emma's heart rate was 138 BPM, they must have been sleeping!

Steph's tummy is measuring 27 weeks, we are currently 24 weeks 6 days! She is doing awesome and has only gained 5 pounds in the last three weeks...way to go Steph!

Dr. Richman was feeling Steph's tummy and Ella gave him a big kick...LOL! That girl has some spunk!!!

Our next ultrasound is in 2 weeks...YAY! I can't wait to see my 2 cutie pies again!

Names

Well I just have to say that my name polls were no help at all, you all pretty much equally voted for all the names. Some how Darin and I have made our final decision and will be naming our twin girls.....Drumroll, Please.....

Ella and Emma

We both really love the names! They sound great together and with Hannah and Olivia. All 4 names just flow so nicely. We are so excited to be able to call our girls by their names instead of "Baby A and B"!

I'm off to go search for wall letters now...decorating two baby rooms is so much fun!