17 Weeks and Under the Weather

So this week makes 17!  It's been sweet and sour though.  This past weekend Phil and I enjoyed a lovely trip to San Diego, the weather was perfect and it was filled with good food, great sights, Hallmark Christmas movies, and lots of relaxing 😎.

I have also been feeling these babies move more regularly, not just at night!  So it's reassuring, without seeing them on an ultrasound, that they're happy and doing well❤️🥰!

A fun night out, all dressed up🥰

Unfortunately a few days after I arrived home, I came down with the flu!  Bah! 🤒🤧. So while I'm battling every symptom NyQuil promises to alleviate, with small doses of Tylenol instead...to say it's been a rough couple of days, is an understatement.🤷🏼‍♀️ 

I'm crossing my fingers and saying lots of prayers that I will feel better before Christmas 🙏🏼🤞!  As a momma I feel completely responsible for bringing the Christmas spirit and right now, I'm totally failing.  I mean...I'm binging every Christmas movie available, enjoying my warm bed, listening to the rare rain Phoenix is getting on the roof, and feeling completely in the Christmas mood... unfortunately I won't let anyone around me for fear of them getting whatever this is.  So...I guess this year will be what it will be.😜😊. They can't all be the best Christmas ever...and I'm okay with that. 🤷🏼‍♀️. Next year, will be better! 🌲 

Merry Christmas 🎄🎁

15 weeks Down, 25 to Go!

This week has been my best week so far, when it comes to morning/all day sickness!  Sunday was the first day I really didn't feel nauseated for a good portion of the day and after dinner was even able to make and decorate sugar cookies with the kids, which was a huge win! 🥰🤩

Monday & Tuesday were much like Sunday, with the exception that I went to work 🤷🏼‍♀️😜.  I still had some usual sicky time, but the thing that has been the greatest is the food aversions seem to be dwindling, so when the nausea creeped in, not being super picky about a snack was super helpful in getting me back to feeling good!

Today, was my 15 week appointment, so we were able to take a peek at the babies with an ultrasound 🥰

It's so crazy how much they've grown and so cool to see them interacting so closely with one another!  Gone are the days of individual ultrasounds, for each baby 😂.  Both babies seem to continually photobomb each other during their scans (which was so entertaining to watch!). Here's baby A's head....and boom Baby B's booty shows up right next to it😂.  True story! Haha I'll photo dump the ultrasound pics below..which will include a very clear picture of both baby A's and B's anatomy😃👇🏼

Baby A (girl) is still anterior (which means closest to my cervix and down lower) she's laying transverse, (horizontal) and Baby B (boy) is laying right on top of her, head to toe ying yang style also transverse.  

Baby A's heart beat was cruising at about 169 beats per minute today, while Baby B was around 142.  They are measuring exactly the same right now, which is great news!  It means both are getting nurished equally and on track!  

In the scans we were able to see both babies bumping and pushing eachother constantly and it was fun to see the sibling rivalry starting so early.  My sister and her husband will definitely have their hands full🥰💞!  

I gained 1lb over the last 4 weeks which puts me at 2lbs overall for this pregnancy so far.  I'm sure now that the sickness is ending AND babies are expected to double in size over the next few weeks...that my next appointment might see some changes on the scale. Hopefully not too much! 😜🤞🏼🥰 I actually paid attention to my blood pressure reading today, which they said was great at 117/76.  I still think that's high for me...but I'm glad it's good for where I'm at!🥳. The doctor gave me all "A+'s"...which he seemed pretty excited about...so I'm gonna take it! 🤩 

My next appointment will be in 4 more weeks...where I'll have the in depth scans for both babies anatomy, which they warned me will take a few hours!  So something to look forward to 👍🏼😃

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Photo dump below⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Second Trimester- 14 Weeks

14 Week Progress

Well the three of us have made it, two weeks into the second trimester!  It's crazy how fast time is flying by overall.  There are days when I feel like it's at a crawl...but overall looking back, we've accomplished a lot!  (By we, I mean they😉.)

These two little ones have all their major organs and body parts formed, now it's all about fine tuning everything and continuing to grow and gain some weight!  They seem to be comfy and enjoying their space, every ultrasound, with the exception of the first two, have shown them happily kicking and bouncing around.  The last few days I have actually felt some movement!  It won't be long before space starts running out...so I hope they enjoy it while they can!

As for me and how I'm feeling...I will say overall this last week has given me some hope as to what's to come in the hopefully, not too distant, future!  Monday was THE best day I've had in so long!  I was able to go to work with only a few dry heaves after brushing my teeth...wasn't nauseous at all during the day (well maybe a few times, but not bad).  I seriously was not only hungry and excited for dinner....I was able to make dinner and didn't get sick while doing it!  That's huge!  I was still exhausted of course and after dinner was complete...I felt like I had finished a marathon😜. 😴💤🥱

In true rookie fashion though, I started to get excited that maybe the sickness was going to be behind me and I could start looking forward to being hungry and feeling "normal" again!  As you've probably guessed Tuesday wasn't the same as Monday.  Womp womp.  So although the "morning sickness" isn't behind me completely...I am looking forward to more days like Monday...soon! 

I think with my prior pregnancies, it was between 16 and 17 weeks that I started to feel better...so not too much longer! 🤩🤞🏼😃

Okay so size...am I showing?  Yes.  As you know, I'm a bigger girl who carries my weight in my tummy anyway...so is it obvious?  No. 😜😂

I can't wear jeans anymore with the non stretch waist band (ouch!).  My go to outfits have been leggings, sweaters, and dresses.  It's getting harder and harder to dress cute...since I'm in this weird "frumpy" looking between stage.  Luckily dresses and leggings both seem to be in style and you can dress them up for work and down for home! (Trust me, I'm okay with not looking preggos to everyone just yet...I'm nervous for just how big I'm actually going to get?!) 🤰🏼😬😲

As for now, I'm taking it one day at a time and enjoying the journey with my little niece and nephew as we grow and progress together!

Officially 12 weeks!

It's finally here!  You might be thinking that I'm excited to be safely into the second trimester stage...which is definitely true, but I'm also excited for one other milestone...

No more PIO shots or Estrogen pills!  Its only been 3 months but holy moly does it seem like having to be home by 9:20 has been a part of my life for so much longer!🤣⏰

No more shots!  My bum can finally start to smooth those lovely knots out🥰❤️.

We had our second OB appointment on Wednesday...and my oh my has it changed since I last came with my own pregnancies.  It's like a 3 hour ordeal now!  

My appointment was at 10AM and was supposed to consist of lab work, an ultrasound, and an exam, which it did...but each was treated like it's own appointment because they send you back to the waiting room in between!  

I first had to go and leave a urine sample, so fun.  Then I was called back for my ultrasound.  (Definitely the highlight)

I was told this particular ultrasound was to check the thickness of the tissue of both babies necks to check for Down Syndrome.  I of course gave the shrug and obligatory nod like ok, whatever you need to do.  He then says, "Now you're using donor eggs, right?"

Probably a perfectly normal question...but it seemed so odd to hear it that way!  I paused for a second...trying to process what he asked..and then he broke the silence and said, "Or was it just the sperm donated?"

Haha I had to giggle and say, "The whole kit and kaboodle are donated.  The eggs were my sister's and fertilized by her husband...implanted via IVF.  So...I guess you can say they were donated to me until they are born...then I'm giving them back!"

Haha I think as I said it, he remembered either me from the last appointment where we had both my sister and my husband there (probably odd to have so many people at a first ultrasound) or it noted in my chart🤣.  In either case he totally laughed and said that's right...gestational carrier.  

Now with the pleasantries out of the way, he got to scanning.  He was super easy to talk to, since the proverbial ice had been broken, so I asked a bunch of questions as he was looking at things.

First, he labeled the baby on the screen "baby A".  So I had to ask...is Baby A always just the first you happen to see?  He said no, it's the baby closest to your cervix, or lowest in the uterus.  Ahh...so we finally have a rhyme and a reason to the A and B thing.  Okay this was good to know!  

He let me know that baby A was on the lower left side and seemed to have their hand over their face 🥰.  They were perfect for all scans.  He was able to get a beautiful measurement of that neck tissue he was going for along with lots of great silhouette pictures.  

Baby A side view 

Baby A was measuring right on track for 11 weeks 5 days.  Heartbeat was cruising at a 171 beats per minute.  They were active, I could see them kicking and moving the entire time🥰.

On to Baby B!  Baby B is above and to the right, and happened to be facing my back. So I was asked to cough so baby would turn around for us.  I honestly was a little skeptical...but it worked!  Baby B moved right on around.  He was able to catch the scans he needed and recorded a heartbeat of 165. 

Baby B was measuring 2 days ahead at exactly 12 weeks.  Everything on both looked great!  As he was going back and forth between babies it appeared as though one baby was literally kicking the other!  So I asked how close they were and if they could feel that?!  (Literally, I think A kicked B in the head mid scan😲.  Sibling rivalry is already starting!)

He said they are right next to each other.  Only separated by the amniotic sac membranes, which he said are about as thin as a rubber band.  So yes they can feel each other!  So crazy and amazing to watch them fidget and kick around together.  I hope they enjoy the room while it lasts! 😕😬

So twins are getting too big to be on the same scan, so he did a split screen so he could capture one then the other but put them both on the screen.  As he was capturing babies he caught a cute little frog legged pose from baby A. (Pictured below 👇🏼)

Baby A frog leg pose

Then he went over to baby B and tried to capture the same thing.  He then asks, "Do you already know the sex of the babies?"  I said yes, one boy and one girl.  He said well I am seeing some anatomy on Baby B that would suggest he's the boy!  (Pictured 👇🏼 below ... would you agree🤭?)

Anatomy between the legs of Baby B

So I'm excited to know the difference between baby A and B now!  B for boy ...super easy to remember too!

After the ultrasound and an additional trip to the waiting room, I was called back for my exam.  It went pretty seamlessly.  I gained 1 pound, my blood pressure was great, and I was told the twins look very healthy and happy!  So I should keep doing whatever I'm doing 👏🏼😁

I was scheduled to come back in 4 weeks, December 6th (which would make me 16 weeks by then) and was scheduled for another ultrasound during the same appointment...so they can check fetal growth.

I waited for a third time in the waiting room and was called back for my blood work shortly after.  The cute lady who maybe only seemed about 10 years older than me, whispers to me..."So twins?!"

Haha I reply yes, that's right!  Twins.  She said wow you're handling this so well.  I was a little confused but simply responded with an uncomfortable, "haha I guess so far, so good!". 

She then starts reading her notes and says, "Oh, these are donor eggs?!  So you aren't too worried about down syndrome then, I bet?"

Oh my goodness, what is up with this office support staff and not reading their notes?🤣 I just said well ...I'm a gestational carrier for my sister.  These babies are on loan with me for a little while, then I'm giving them back!  Her entire demeanor changed and she got so happy and said how wonderful it was that I was willing to do that for her.  (It always makes me feel awkward when people tell me how wonderful I am...I feel like I'm doing something that most people would do, if it were possible.  Maybe I'm different, maybe I'm special...but I don't feel that I am. 🤷🏼‍♀️)

Anyway, after the 9 vials of blood they took and the funniest stories from this conversation starved phlebotomist, who probably missed her calling as a hair dresser, I was finally on my way!  I arrived at 9:54 and left at 12:55! Crazy.  

All in all babies are doing well!  I'm still experiencing sickness...some mornings and evenings are just worse than others, but definitely manageable.  I can still fit into my stretchy jeans but that waistband is definitely starting to dig in 😕.  Instead of wearing my self proclaimed "cute and trendy" clothes to work, I've opted for "cute and comfy"🤣.  Leggings and sweaters are where it's at for me right now.   I'm always cold and I'm always ready for a nap.  Comfy clothes make both of those things manageable 😘😃!

Graduation Day🥰

So today marks 9 weeks 5 days and is officially the last ultrasound or appointment I will have at the fertility clinic!  So bittersweet 🥲!  

Other than the typical morning and afternoon morning sickness...I'm feeling pretty good!  My sister in law sent me the sweetest package to help with it too!  She sent me "Preggie Pops", peppermint life savers, and vitamin B6 all things that helped her survive pregnancy while working🥰. I haven't opened them yet, but I'm so excited to try them...anything to help would be amazing 🤩!

Okay so these babies threw me for a loop...again!  The nurse practitioner takes a look at "Baby A" and the heart rate is cruising at 182 beats per minute!  He/she is moving their little limbs, clearly very active!  I'm also excited at this point because "Baby A" must be the same as last week..finally I can tell them apart 🤞🏼😊!

On to "Baby B", who is also moving and wiggling all around!  (So cute to watch!) As she hovers over to record their heart rate, I'm shocked to hear that it's 172 beats per minute?!  So wait...is this Baby A from two weeks ago?  Or did Baby B kick it up a few notches?? I'm at a loss?! 😜

Overall results both babies are the same size now (Baby B was measuring right on time and Baby A was measuring a little ahead two weeks ago) and have heartbeats within 10 beats of eachother 🤷🏼‍♀️😀.

So it throws my theory of being able to tell them apart at this stage... completely out the window 🤣😜 but the important part is the nurse practitioner said she reviews thousands and thousands of ultrasounds and early IVF pregnancies and these are among the strongest and healthiest fetuses she's seen! ❤️. Picture perfect in there ❤️❤️

Such a relief to hear, I know we still have a long way to go...but I'm excited that everything is cruising along just as it should be for now!🥰

Ultrasound Pics and comparisons:

9 weeks 5 days

Cute little wave from one of the babies!👋🏼

This week compared with 2 weeks ago!

Baby heartbeats💓💓💓

First OB Appointment, 2 Ultrasounds

 Today was an extremely long, but exciting day!  It's been a few weeks since my last ultrasound so let me fill you in on how things have been progressing!

I'm currently 7 weeks 5 days pregnant with twins today. A boy and a girl (we just don't know which is which). The last ultrasound (shown again below) showed us two beating hearts within two little seed sized embryos!  They were separated quite a bit in my uterus, so I'm excited today to how much they've grown and hopefully see two strong heartbeats 🤞🏼🥰.

(Previous Ultrasound Twins at 5 weeks 5 days)

Today I have not one, but two appointments.  I have my last appointment with the fertility clinic and then my first appointment with my OB!  After doing research and polling friends and reading reviews...I ultimately decided to go back to the same OB that delivered my last three children.  The visits are about 40 miles and two hours apart, so let's hope things run smoothly!

First appointment and ultrasound picture:

Twins at 7 weeks 5 days

The first thing I noticed was how much they've grown in the short two weeks since we've peeked at them last and how much closer together they are now!  The nurse practitioner at the fertility clinic is so thorough and was able to explain everything she was looking at and had all good news to share! She said as they grow gravity will pull them closer together.  

"Baby A" (not sure if this is the same Baby A as last week) was measuring a little bigger than Baby B.  Baby A's heartbeat was recorded at 172 beats per minute and everything looked amazing she said.  Baby B's heartbeat was recorded at 152 beats per minute and was looking absolutely wonderful ❤️!  

She got several pictures of their little umbilical chords and their little yolk sacs, which she said is rare to see so well🤷🏼‍♀️😃?!  She was thrilled at how well they are progressing and asked if we would be willing to come back for one more ultrasound before graduating to an OB in two weeks? Of course I wasn't going to turn down another opportunity to see their growth and progress, so we have another ultrasound planned in two weeks🤞🏼🥰!

Next was my OB appointment...which was actually kinda funny at first.  I guess it's not everyday you have a patient come in at 7 weeks 5 days and know that they are not only pregnant, but pregnant with fraternal twins.  The staff had to ask me, how I was so sure😂...I should have come up with some witty comment.  If I channeled my husband, I would have.  Instead I re-explained that I was a gestational carrier and had gotten pregnant, via IVF and have been being monitored by the fertility clinic.

Still skeptical they called me back to do an ultrasound to confirm.  I was relieved to find that they were going to do an on the tummy ultrasound! (Whew!) My vag was not looking forward to another wand today 🤣!

Two hours and some change apart and this ultrasound confirmed exactly what the first one did.  One twin had a heart rate of 172 bpm and the other had a 152 bpm heart rate!  The measurements were the same, showing one twin slightly bigger also!  They were also able to let us hear both heartbeats...which was pretty amazing!

So the annoying thing is I'm learning that "Baby A" is whoever the ultrasound tech sees first!  (Both places) So I was excited to finally be able to start telling them apart myself!  Baby A from now on will be the bigger one with the faster heart rate (I'm thinking the girl 😜) and Baby B will be the smaller one, with the chill heartbeat...I'm thinking the boy🤭)

After the ultrasound tech confirmed it was a twin pregnancy we met with my OB.  Who was actually way cooler and more "chatty" than I ever remember him being when I was here 14 years ago!

He put my mind at ease with his ability to deliver twins but also handle my high risk pregnancy.  He let me know the main difference between this pregnancy and my prior pregnancies would be the level of ultrasounds and monitoring, especially towards the 28th week.  He said the largest concern is making sure that both babies are growing and thriving.  Competition for those resources is steep towards the end and one twin can end up taking more than the other.  Made sense and it was good to know that they will be watching them (ultrasounds two times a week) towards the end! 😲

He shared that the twins look very healthy and based on we what he saw and the fact that both embryos were tested for genetic abnormalities prior to being implanted, that my chances of having a miscarriage was very minimal and to start planning for a healthy pregnancy!🥰

He will see me in 4 weeks😀

Snacks, Nausea, and Headaches...Oh My!

My days continue to be filled with bouts of nausea and then mini cravings.  I say mini, because other than Grimaldi's pizza, once I start eating what I thought I wanted, it's no longer really what I wanted 😜 🤷🏼‍♀️.  I've also started getting really really tired...like want to take a nap at work, tired! 💤

So I try to drink and sip my freezing cold water when the eyelids become heavy...it helps a little or pull an item out of my "snackpack"... typically a rice krispie treat🤭.

The official "snackpack"

So far I've gotten three headaches and both have been on the weekend or on a day I worked from home, which I've put together, might be related to my morning routine being changed!

Typically, I wake around 4AM (naturally without an alarm) and begin my routine of taking my morning estrogen and thyroid pills, showering, etc and I am usually out the door by 6:45.  At that time I usually have some type of snack on the way into work, cereal, bagel, or an egg sandwich... depending on my mood.  On the weekends however, even though I still wake up early...I try to lay in bed longer...don't get up, and definitely am not eating a snack by 7am.  So it wasn't hard to put together, after two weekends in a row with a Saturday headache and being extra nauseous, that it's probably related to my morning routine!  Aren't I quick one?! Ha.  (So that will change this weekend!)

So when I say I had three headaches...I really had one that lasted two days and almost had me rushing to the ER.  Yes, I was in so much pain, I was actually willing to be taken to the emergency room for some relief!  I'm no stranger to headaches and migraines.  I've had them all my life and after my car accident in 2014 they were pretty severe for about 18 months.  

The biggest issue is while being pregnant I can only take Tylenol.  Tylenol doesn't do much for me and if the headache sets in too long, there's literally nothing I can do but ice my neck and head and pray I fall asleep to alleviate some of the pain. In this particular case (two weekends ago) the headache began on a Friday, late morning.  I was working from home so my routine was changed.  The work was the same, looking and reviewing spreadsheets and volumes of material on Excel (which would give most people a headache anyway😜).  By early afternoon it was pretty bad, I was super nauseous and didn't eat anything.  I kept drinking water and throwing up.  After a short nap, my headache pain dropped a bit and all I felt like was some type of bread and maybe butter.  So random!  (Date night idea, that I was taking a mental note to share with Phil 🤣.)

As luck would have it, Phil texts me a few minutes later and says we were invited by some friends to try a new restaurant in Surprise...which get this.... serves bread and different appetizers and dip!  It was so up my alley, no question we were going!  Btw the restaurant was great and so was the company, but headache was still there when we were done...womp womp.

Fast forward to Saturday morning... headache has not gone away.  I tossed and turned all night and everytime I got up to use the restroom, my headache was very proud to let me know it was still around.  To make a longer story shorter, the pain became so bad that I couldn't move my head without getting stabbing pains in one location on the top of my head.  At this point, I've said hundreds of mini prayers, asking for the pain to be relieved.  I didn't know what to do, then suddenly Phil thought to take my blood pressure.  I didn't know why, but he did and it was 155/114!  Clearly I'm in pain...but my typical BP is around 100-105 over 69-72.  So this is an extremely high jump!  We call the fertility clinic and they let us know that this is really high and they recommend going to the ER.  

As Phil is gathering our items, I stop him and ask for a blessing.  He and Boston give me a blessing that I will be healed and I ask him to get me a bag of ice and just allow me to rest for like 30 minutes longer.  (I know I've already done this...and it hasn't helped thus far, but I wanted to try)

Miraculously, I began to feel the pain subside over the next 30 minutes...the pain wasn't completely gone but it had reduced drastically!  Phil checked my blood pressure again and it had dropped to 134/108.  So he suggested that we go eat something, since I hadn't really been able to eat all day.  

We went to Garcia's (another favorite of mine) where I had some rice and beans and continued to feel better and better. When I got home we took my blood pressure again and it was 127/92!  Still high, but much better!🥳. 

By the next morning it was completely gone.  I'm so relieved I didn't have to go to the ER, but it definitely is making me acutely aware of how important it is that I keep my blood sugar from dropping too low and staying on a routine!  So thankful it went away🙏🏼❤️🥰.